Beautiful Disaster
by HeroWriterGirl
Summary: Annabeth Chase is the new girl in Goode High. A girl with brains and beauty, a girl who has never been in trouble once in her whole life. Percy Jackson is a punk who barely manages to survive each grade, trying his best to help his mum with her abusive relationships. What happens when their world collide? Punk!Percy Girly!Annabeth. Mentions of Jasper, Thaluke.
1. Blue jeans white shirt

**Alright guys this is my first fanfic, I will try and update as often as I can. Please follow and review!**

**Chapter 1**

**Percy's POV**

"Percy, wake up, you will be late for the first day of school!"

Percy groaned and slammed his hand in the digital clock near his bed. He had(as always) overslept and he now had fifteen minutes to get ready for the first day of senior year. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and sat up, smelling the delicious scent of pancakes wafting from the kitchen. He quickly put on a Metallica shirt and his favorite pair of black ripped jeans, stealing off a glance at himself at the mirror opposite his closet. He saw a seventeen year old boy scowling at him, with intense green eyes and a shiny lip-ring, matching the one above his eyebrow. After a failed attempt of brushing his hair, Percy hastily put a few notebooks in his school bag, which had waves painted on the front, courtesy of his friend, Rachel Elisabeth Dare. He stood for a few seconds staring at his seemingly sad, half-empty bag, considering for a moment to take out his program and check his lessons, but he shrugged the idea off. What use could it be to be a good student for the last year when he sucked at the last three?

Percy made his way through the dimly lit corridor to the kitchen, where his mum was making his favorite food in the world, just for him. The thought made Percy smile, even though he could see the wrinkles in his mother's eyes and the tired smile she gave him in return. Sally Jackson kept her apartment nice and tidy, but lack of money had surely left its marks in their everyday life. Since Percy's dad had died in a car accident when he was very young, Sally did everything she could for her baby boy. She worked two jobs, giving up her dream of becoming a writer and saving everything for Percy. They never had much, but they survived. Barely.

"Blue?" Percy asked, kissing his mother on the cheek and pulling a chair to sit on the table facing his mother. His mum smiled knowingly and put two gigantic blue waffles in a plate in front of him.

"Percy this is such an important day for you! You managed to get to senior year without getting expelled once! It is worth celebrating for!" Sally cupped his cheek and gazed at him with adoration, her blue eyes filled with warmth.

Percy felt a pang of guilt in his heart when he heard those words. What kind of celebration did he deserve? He was dyslexic and had ADHD, he had received bad grades in almost every lesson each year, barely managing to pass the class. He had wanted to drop out of school at the end of his sophomore year and get a job at Starbucks or something, but his mum strictly forbid it. She wanted Percy to go to college in every way possible, so as not to be left penniless and desperate like herself.

"I'll try harder this year, mum. I promise." Percy murmured between bites of his waffle, syrup trickling down his chin.

Sally laughed. "I know you will, Percy. You make me so proud." She got up. "I have to get to work now. I will try and bring you some free sample sweets from the shop, okay honey?''

Percy stoop up too and grabbed his helmet from the kitchen counter. "Are you sure you don't want me to drop you off with my bike?"

"No, sweetie. but thank you. I gotta go now!" Sally kissed him on the cheek and left, banging the door hurriedly.

Percy put the plates in the kitchen table, managing not to break them for once and as he picked his black Jansport bag, he made his way to the garage where he had his favorite motorbike.

Percy and his mum didn't live anywhere fancy but, oh boy, did Percy have an expensive motorbike. He had worked for two summers as a lifeguard in a swimming pool to afford it plus all the money he had collected from various aunts and uncles all these years. It was his pride and joy and he paid twenty bucks a month to have it safely parked in the nearby garage.

"Morning Mr Woods!" He shouted as he entered the garage. Tom Woods looked up to him and smiled. He was the only garage owner who didn't mind his piercings. He went back to fixing an old Toyota, sweat clinging in his forehead.

"Good morning, Perce" Mr Woods said. "Wear that helmet, will ya?"

Percy winked at him cheekily and went further into the dimly lit garage. There in the very back of the room was his Yamaha, shining a brilliant blue. Percy felt his heart race a little bit faster and his clenched his hands in anticipation. The only time he felt truly alive was when he was riding. Percy mounted his bike and the engine roared. Ah, that was the best way to start his day.

**Ω**

As Percy got of his motorcycle in Goode High's parking lot he could feel eyes staring at him. As he took out his helmete he heard a girl's gasp. He turned around and smirked at her, tugging his lip ring between his teeth. The girl blushed and quickly averted her gaze, her friends giggling uncontrollably.

Percy turned and walked towards the main building. He knew that since his sophomore year when he had started filling out, the girls in his school treated him like he was a completely different person. He hardly ever gave them a second glance. He was never into this kind of girls, who were in love with their mirror and could never make a conversation with him without giggling. Worse, there were other girls who seemed kind of...well, scared of him. They stared at the green streak in his hair and at the piercing in his eyebrow with shock, like he was the devil come to Earth. Percy sighed as he entered the school and headed towards his locker. Girls are _so _complicated.

Well, not all girls. Particularly the one leaning against his locker. Her flaming red hair covered her face, but Percy would recognize her everywhere. She was reading an art book about he favorite painter, the one that cut his ear off. He was the only one Percy could rememember.

"Raaaaaccheeel" Percy said in a sing-song voice. "Do you mind?"

Rachel Elisabeth Dare looked up from her book, her green eyes searching his face worriedly as if expecting him to grow a second head. Percy could count the thousand tiny freckles in her face.

"Percy! You came!" She said, throwing her arms around him. Percy stood still for a moment, shocked at Rachel's embrace, but he returned the hug. Heads turned in the hallway; Percy Jackson hugging was not a sight they often saw.

"Why wouldn't I come, Dare? Haven't you missed me since Saturday?" Percy said with a chuckle, unloading most of his bag sloppily into his locker. Rachel scowled at him and swatted his hands away, taking the job for herself. She begun to hurriedly organise his locker.

"Grover told me you were thinking of dropping out" said Rachel bluntly. That was Rachel: straightforward and to the point. She said she didn't have time for pointless formalities.

Percy scowled at her and put his bag in his shoulder, taking his programm from Rachel and stared at it angrily. Why the heck did Rachel have to mention this? Wasn't it enough that he felt guilty for his mum?

"You will burn a hole in the programm." Rachel commented idly.

Percy groaned in frustration and put the stupid piece of paper back to his backpack. Anyhow, with his temper the letters were skateboarding in his eyes.

"I told you, I was thinking of dropping but I... I _can't _Rachel don't you understand? I can't let my mum down."

"She's right, you know." said Rachel leading him to a seemingly empty classroom. "C'mon we have English first period, with Mr. Blofis."

Percy sighed in relief. Paul Blofis was his favorite teacher. He never treated him with pity of indifference because of his dyslexia. Instead, Paul had offered to help him at home in order to pass the exams. His mum loved him. Whenever he came to visit, she would make about a ton of cookies and she always chatered on about how marvellous ateacher he was. In fact, Paul often hung by after his lessons with Percy to talk to Sally about a creative writing project he was attending. But Percy didn'd mind; he knew Paul Blofis was a good man. Plus, he looked like his favorite actor from a criminal series.

Rachel waved at him to go and sit next to her in a seat near the window, but Percy dismissed it with a shrug. He moved on to the far end of the class and sat down at the very back of the class. It wasn't that he didn;'t like the lesson;he just didn;t like people staring at him.

The classroom soon filled in. Percy watched them warily tapping a pencil rhytmically in his desk. He waved at some of the guys from his basketball team, but didn;t talk to anyone in particular. Only he and Rachel were taking English, the rest of their friends were never into, as Rachel put it, the _feeling_ side of lesson, or whatever the meant.

Finally, Mr Blofis entered the classroom and everyone hurriedly sat down. In front of Percy, the seat was empty.

"Good morning, class! I hope you had a good summer!" shouted Mr. Blofis in his usual happy manner. "So, let's get started guys. We got a lot of catching up to do." His words were received with a groan from the entire class.

"Oh, come on! You know you love reading! Now, let's get started with the names. Brooks, Peyton!"

"Here!"

"Natha-" His words were cut abruptly by someone swinging the door open.

"Sorry, I'm late !"

Percy swore he lost a heartbeat. He felt like he was riding his Yamaha at full speed.

The _someone_ who had burst in the classroom was the most beautiful girl Percy had ever seen. She had curly blonde hair, elegantly cut in shoulder lenght and she was wearing a black skirt with a white top-up. Even though she seemed to have been running, she wasn't sweating and her black jacket was spotless.

"Ah, Miss Chase. Never mind, there is no problem, have a seat over there." sadi Mr. Blofis pointing to Percy.

Wait. He was pointing to the seat in front of him. _The seat in front of him!_

"We have a new student with us, class! Miss Annabeth Chase, she just moved here from San Fransisco." kept talking without realising that all the boys in the class ere staring at her with their mouths hanging open.

Annabeth Chase started moving towards him, walking confidently in her black, high-heel shoes. Her legs seemed to be a mile long, with a tannned look every girl would die for. She seemed so intimidating that Percy had to resist the urge to stand up straight and take a bow.

Finally, Annabeth Chase looked up to him. Her grey eyes were mesmerising, as if she was calculating th best plan to have him killed. They twinkled as her luscious lips formed a smile at his direction.

**Was tha good?Absolute rubbish?Shall I continue?Please REVIEW!**


	2. You made my eyes burn

**Thank you guys for all the reviews and follows! I will try updating as often as I can!**

**Chapter 2- You made my eyes burn**

_**Annabeth Chase**_

The first thing Annabeth noticed when she entered her new classroom in Goode High was a pair of bright green, neon eyes that stared at her from the very back of the classroom. They belong to a boy with long, black hair with a blue streak on them, a boy who has a piercing on his eyebrow and another one on his lips. Just then, he tugs his lip-ring between his teeth and Annabeth shivers, averting her gaze away.

"Class, please welcome Miss Annabeth Chase, she just moved here from San Francisco!" says , her new English teacher. He points to an empty seat in front of the green-eyed devil and Annabeth smiles a bit nervously at him before making her way towards it. Her heels are making a _click-clack_ sound as she is walking confidently, like she has all the time in the world. Annabeth straightens her posture and flashes a confident smile, remembering her mother's words: _Never let the others see your fear. They will use it to their advantage._

Annabeth scowls momentarily as the image of her mother flashes in her mind. Athena Grey, CEO of the Olympic Architecture Inc., one of the biggest architects in the world. And, of course, her mother.

But this is not the time to recall her crazy family back home. Not when she can feel the whole class eyeing her like predators.

Annabeth sits in front of the green eyed devil and can smell the delicious scent of his deodorant washing over her. She closes her eyes, trying to regain her concentration and pulls her English textbook out of her bag, slamming it with a bit of more than necessary force in the desk.

"Allright, class, since I know how much you love reading," starts Mr. Blofis, earning a huge groan in response from the class, "today we are going to study _Withering Heights _by Emily Bronte. I know it's more difficult than what you are used to, but I promise you are going to enjoy it!" Mr. Blofis flashes them all a piece-sign and starts giving out their books, making small-talk with some children in the front rows. Annabeth decides she like him.

When hands her a copy of _Withering Heights_, he smiles down at her and says, "Well, Miss Chase I hope you will like it here at Goode High. I am sure you will have no problem with the lessons, right?" His bright brown eyes are twinkling playfully.

"Thanks. Mr. Blofis, I am sure I will be okay." _More than okay._ Annabeth says confidently.

"I have taken the liberty and read the reports from your teachers in San Francisco. I must say, I was impressed. You have 4.8 GPA and yet, you find time and help other kids in their sudy-sessions, right?"

"Y-yes," Annabeth stutters; oh God, why did he have to mention that last one? The fact that for the last three years she had been helping kids with dyslexia and ADHD in their schoolwork had stayed well hidden from her mother. Her dad knew though, but at least he understood. Her mother thought she was attending an extra Architectural Design Lesson. Annabeth never bothered to explain her urge to help people with dyslexia to her mother. She would never understand. After all, Athena Grey cared much too much for her daughter's future carreer, which she had planned ahead on, to worry about Annabeth's "minor linguistic problems", as she had said. In fact, Annabeth was dyslexic herself, but her love for reading and studying had helped her overcome her dyslexia.

"Oh. That's-that's fine." Mr. Blofis seemed rebuffed by Annabeth's nervous response and moved on to the next one.

"So, Percy, I hope you make an effort and read that one." Annabeth smirked at the mention of his name. So his name is Percy?

"I will try Pau- Mr. Blofis." She heard his voice;deep and manly, but with a hind of amusement in it and soft like velvet. Annabeth never thought such a combination could be so mesmerising before.

But wait. Since when is Percy The Bad Boy accidentaly calling by his first name. The gears in Annabeth's head started spinning like crazy. For the rest of the lesson, she tried to decipher the chemistry between and Percy. Except for a few glances from to Percy's direction, Annabeth could only make out that somehow he and Percy were connected;maybe he was a family friend or something. Meanwhile, Percy didn't raise his hand or spoke at all during the entire lesson. She could hear him tapping his foot rhythmically on the floor, could feel his breath in her neck sometimes, sending shivers in her spine, and she knows, she just _knows _that Percy Whatever His Last Name Is has his eyes glued on her.

When the bell rings, Annabeth sighs relieved and starts putting her things in her back hastily, trying to get as far away from this beautiful distraction as possible. As a result, she drops her pencase down, spilling its contents. Annabeth curses and bents to pick it up; but before she can reach down, a hand flashes and pickes it up for her. It's , well, it's a _nice _hand, that's for sure and as her gaze travels from the muscular arms to the blue eyes, the boy in front of her smiles a brilliant smile and hands her her pencase.

"Here you are!" he says courtly, his windswept, sandy hair falling in his face. He is dressed like a prep, wearing a nice pair of jeans and a stylish shirt. He could have been Annabeth's brother,

"Thanks a lot," she says, smiling back at him. "I' m Annabeth, by the way. Annabeth Chase."

"I know. Everyone was talking about you yesterday." That last comment makes both of them blush furiously, but the tall boy continues adamantly."I'm Luke. Luke Castellan." He smiles once more and Annabeth notices a scar reaching from his left eyes to the corner of his mouth. Maybe not so much a prep after all, she thinks.

"Nice to meet you, Luke." Annabeth says, putting on her black jacket and pushing her pencase back in her bag. She flips her hair back to its proper place and finds Luke staring at her.

"So, um, do you wann come sit with me at lunch today? I mean, if you don't have any other friend here.." Luke starts, his voice wavering a bit at the end.

"Oh, no, I'd love to sit with you!" Annabeth says a little too entusiastically."Erm, if I wouldn't be much of an incovenience."

"No,no that;s totally fine. Come, I'll show you around." Luke grabs her gently by the shoulder and ushers her out of the room. Annabeth shrugs away from his touch, not wanting to give him any wrong indications but keeping her cool as well.

The rest of the day passed in a hurry, with Annabeth trying to remember all the names of her new teachers and classmates, ranging from stupid jocks who were looking at her with a dumb _I know you'll love me _smile and nerdy kids from her Bio class who wanted to know if she needed any help with her homework(but no, thank you very much, Annabeth Chase was a straight A student despite what other people might think). She was feeling slightly nauseous at the end of the day and she was putting up a remarkable show trying not to look like the nervous new-girl she really was on the inside.

Luke was helping her, of course. She sat with his friends during lunch perios, and though they were all terribly nice to her, she didn't click with any of them. In addition, some of them were... well a litlle odd. They all wore expensive clothes and all the boys were on the school's track team. But, the weirdness in them was that evil glint they had in their eye, they smiled like the whole world was a joke only they understood. Especially one of them, Ethan Nakamura, who wore a black patch on his left eye, gave Annabeth a shivering sense. Luke told her that they knew each other since they were children, as their parents were well known businessmen and had many "alliances" during all those years.

But even though Annabeth's arrival received a lot of attention in Goode High, tehre was a certain someone who she didn't see the whole day. Percy Jackson was neither in the halls nor the chemistry lab;neither in the library of the cafeteris. It seemed as though after English, he had vanished from the face of Earth.

That;s what Annabeth was thinking as she made her way to her car(a red Mini Cooper) with her earphones on, listening to Ed Sheeran's acoustic guitar, with the volume turned low. She had to get home early, as he r mother always insisted, so that she could study with her head clear. Going back home from school was something that Annabeth always dreaded, her mother always waiting for her report on what happened to school that day and so on. She suddenly felt the urge to puke and she opened the door to her car angrily.

As she turned the key one and started to exit her parking space, she heard the roar of a motorbike engine roaring loudly just five metres in front of her. She saw a light flashing and Annabeth slammed the braked hard, causing her to lean sharply against the wheel. At the same time, the mysterious motorbike stopped just a few inches from scratching her car.

Annabeth got out of her car, breathless still but no less angrily.

"What the fuck are you doing, you fool? You could have KILLED me!" She shout at the still helmet-covered stranger. Annabeth can practically feel her whole body radiating her spite toward him.

The idiot-with-the-beautiful-motorcicle takes his helmet off and faces her. Annabeth notices his ruffled black hair. Black har with the tip dyed electric blue.

"_You _should notice where you are going, Princess!I was right in front of you!" Percy Jackson says sarcastically, his green eyes as much aflame as hers. Annabeth can feel herself drowning, she can smell his afterashave from this close, she can see a tattoo the shape of a trident peeking out of his tattered jacket.

_Snap out of it!_

_\_"Whatever, Jackson!I wouldn't expect anything else from you!" Annabeth's words fly out of her abefore she can help herself and she notices Percy's gaze harden. He picks up his helmet and she sees his lips tugging in disgust.

"_I_ wouldn't expect anything else from you, Princess-"

"Stop calling me that!''

"-but see I was going to ask you if you need any help with your car, but as you made it clear that I am unwanted here, I will leave you in peace." Percy sents her a smile that makes his eyes glint mischieviously.

Annabeth is at a loss for words; who would expect him of all people offer to help anyone with their car?

"Well, you don't have to bother yourself, my car is all right!" Annabeth huffs under her breath.

Percy rides his bike and looks at her one last moment before turning away.

"You wouldn't have a problem anyway...Chase." Annabeth stiffens at the mention of her name. "Your boyfriend, Luke, would help you would have gave you another Mini Cooper, after of course killing its owner ."

"Wait-what?What does Luke have to do with that?And he's not my boyfriendd, he's a friend" Annabeth says angrily.

"As you said, not my business." Percy puts his helmet on. "See you around, Princess!"

Annabeth stands there, awestruck, watching Percy leave behing him a trail of dust and questions.

**A/N: I will updat every week!This, as you noticed, is just Annabeth and Percy's prologues before the actual stoy starts. Next chapter will be much more juicy:)**

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	3. Interlude

**Chapter 3-He was like James Dean, for sure**

**Sorry for the late update, I will try updating more often in the future!Hope you are all having a beautiful day!Stay tuned!**

**Percy**

Percy shut the door of the apartment he shared with his mum with a loud bang, just like he did back when he was younger, to make his mum know that he was home. Usually his mum would be over there in an instant, greeting him with a huge smile in her face and a hug full of lovingness. But now, all that greeted him was loud sniffling from the kitchen.

A shiver run through him, and Percy's face contorted with anxiety and pain. He knew, he _knew_ where that sniffling came from. And he also knew what was the cause of it. Percy run to the kitchen, not bothering to take off his boots or his leather jacket. His heart was thumping loudly in his ears, and Percy felt like he could throw up.

Sally Jackson was standing in front of the window, the midday light shining against her tear-soaked cheeks. She was clutching her phone tightly in her right hand;on the other, there was a half empty bottle of red wine. She was staring at nothing, her blue eyes vague and emotionless. Percy stopped at the threshold, waiting for her to turn back to him. Sally still continued to stare at the empty space and silently crying, apparently anaware of her son's presence in the room.

"Mum!" Percy croaked, his voice wavering from hurt. He hated to see her like this, he really hated it. He quickly went up to her and enveloped her in his arms. Sally started crying again, loud heart-wrenching sobs wracking her whole body. Percy closed his eyes tightly and pressed his face on top of his mother's head. She smelled like cinammon and chocolate, thanks to the hours she spent working on the sweetshop in the corner of the street.

"Mum, please. Tell me what's happened. _Please._" Percy said, holding her tighter still.

"He called. He asked me for more money and I said I didn't have any more to give him and- and...oh Percy, he was so _mad._He kept threatening to come here with his gang and kill us all. He said he'd kill _you_ the necxt time he sees you on the street. Oh Percy, I was so afraid" Sally clenched her hands tighter on his shirt. She gently disentagled herself of him and looked up to him, trying for an encouraging smile.

But Percy couldn't smile back. His eyes were stinging from tears of anger and he was clenching his teeth so hard that he feared he might break them. How dare he call here again?How dare Gabe Ugliano still hurt his mother after almost two years of divorce?

_flashback_

_Percy was listening from the closed door of his room. His eyes had widened with fear and his wholy body was tensed. He could his mother and stepfather arguing loudly in the living room. Something that happened a lot lately. Gabe Ugliano was not a man of patience._

_"Cut the fucking shit, Sally!I know you have money stacked somewhere for your brat. His damned father was rich, wasn't he? He has something for his bastard, I'm sure as hell he has!" Gabe's voice was roaring in the house. _

_"Percy's money will pass to him when he turns eighteen, Gabe! I have no right to them!" Sally paused for a moment. "And, I think, neither do you."_

_Percy heard a defeaning __**slap!**__ sound coming from the living room. "Listen here and listen well, if you want to live. You will give me the money I need for my job or I will a give the guys a call and you will never see your son again. Understood?"_

_Sally just whimpered._

_Percy slammed the door of his room opened and run straight to the living room. He saw his mum on her knees on the floor and Gabe standing above her, stinking of cheep beer and alcochol. He was so mad he actually scared himself. Percy lunged himself at his stepfather, forgetting that he was only a scrawny fifteen year old boy and he was a heavy, fat man fourty years old. He forgot all that, and hit Gabe straight in the nose. His stepfather fell backwards, cursing clutching his bleeding nose. Percy kept hitting him in the face until he felt his mother's hand on his shoulder._

_"Percy, let him go. Let him go, honey." Sally put both of her hands on his shoulders. Percy stood up, his anger subsided. He looked at the bloody mess of his stepfather. After a few minutes, Gabe stood up looking at them with a bloody smile._

_"You think this is over?Nothing is over. You'll get your divorce fine, never think for a moment that I have forgotten about you."_

_After that incident, Gabe Ugliano left their apartment. But he didn't leave their lives._

_flashback end_

Since then, Percy had changed. He was no longer the gangly, laughing boy. He had started training every day, he took a job after school to help his mum. He even joined a gang, to protect himself from Gabe's sidekicks. Being in it was tough, but Percy had made a few valuable friends. Friends who could help him out in situations like this.

"Don't worry, ''ll work it out, I promise. That jerk isn't going to hurt neither of us." Percy stared at her hard. Sally nodded tearfully and hugged him one last time before pulling back.

"It's just...Percy I don't want you doing anything repulsive. Like seeking Gabe out on your own. You don't understand how far this man is willing to go.

"Oh, but I do understand mum. It's just that he doesn't know how far _I_ am willing to go."

Sally and Percy stared at each other for a few moments; Percy never backed down and his unrelenting gaze made Sally lower her eyes and press a soft kiss at his forhead.

"Just be careful, okay?You are all I've got."

"I will, mum. I promise."

**A bit short, but I will surely update next week!Please follow and review!**


	4. You know I'm no good

_**You know I'm no good**_

**Annabeth**

Annabeth's bedroom was as neat and organized as her mind. The walls were stark white, with only a poster of The Beatles hanging above her bed. On one side of the wall, there was a huge, wooden library, packed to the brim with architecture and history books. Annabeth had immediately fallen in love with when she saw it in an old curiosity shop her father had taken her. On the opposite, was her desk and on top of that, her favorite laptop, a gift from her mother's best friend, Daedalus. Dr. Daedalus worked for Olympic Industries since Annabeth could remember herself and was one of the brightest minds in the job. The laptop he had given her was filled with designs and ideas about buildings and other inventions and Annabeth loved spending her free time scrolling through them. Other than that, there was a framed picture with her and Thalia, her childhood best friend, ath her nightstand and a plush owl toy her dad had given her when she was little. All in all, the bedroom radiated peace and quite, just what Annabeth needed.

But the bedroom's biggest advantage was that it was soundproof, which came in handy when her parents were "discussing" downstairs, usually in loud tones.

When Annabeth arrived from school that day, still very frustrated with the parking lot incident and that _Percy Jackson_, her parents were sitting in the kitchen table, eating a meal made from organic food, her mother's newest obsession. Maria, the house cook, did her best to prepare every meal with the healthiest ingredients she could manage. Usually, that was the main reason Annabeth preferred to eat lunch from school.

"Hey, honey, how was your day?" Her mother looked up from her plate, eyeing her expectantly.

"Good" Annabeth replied absentmindedly, grabbing an orange juice from the fridge.

"Did you make any friends?" Her dad said cheerfully.

"Yeah"

"Were people nice?"

"No"

Annabeth made her way upstairs but she could feel her parents' eyes on her back. She turned around and arched her eyebrow. "What?"

Athena gave her husband a sideways look and said "Actually, Annabeth, today is the gala I talked to you about, remember?"

_Oh, shit._ "Um, I guess, what about it?" Annabeth tried for a smile, but it turned out more like a crazy grin.

"All the important members of the Olympic Industries will be there, including Daedalus and Hermes, the Public Relations Manager, I'm sure you remember him. As the CEO, I have to attend. And so will you."

"Oh, mum, must I? I have homework to do." Annabeth complained. Perfect. Zero time to check out Percy Jackson's Facebook. Not stalking of course. Just checking out.

"Annabeth, I promised them that we will attend. Your dad has agreed to come too. You have to come." Athena's cool grey eyes looked at her hardly.

Annabeth turned to her dad, hoping for help. He gave her an apologetic smile. "Don't worry, honey. I'm sure there will be other children your age there. In fact, I think Hermes has a son… Lenny?...no wait, Logan? Well, the fact is I'm sure you won't get too bored."

Annabeth shrugged. "Yeah, whatever. I'' ll go upstairs to get dressed." She sighed once more and headed to her bedroom.

"Wear something nice!" Her mother shouted at her.

Annabeth resisted the urge to slam the door. She threw herself on the bed, exhausted. He mother's galas were the most tiring thing on the planet. Never mind, that everyone there saw her as Athena's successor and always blubbered about what a great architect she would be and so on. The only one who understood her was Daedalus, who never once asked her about her future career choices.

"Annabeth!"

Annabeth turned around and spotted a tall man standing behind her. He had sandy blonde hair and deep blue eyes. He was smiling at her, a devilish smile made for advertising toothpaste. She recognized him.

"Luke! I didn't know you would be here." Annabeth said, fixing her hair. She could practically feel herself blush and she tried to stop her heart from beating so hard. Oh, what was wronh with her? It cerainly didn't help that Luke was looking so good. He was wearing a Tom Ford costume that showed of his broad shoulders perfectly.

"My father is Hermes, the Public Relations Manager. He dragged me to the gala to 'meet all his important collegues'" said Luke, putting the quotation marks with his hands. He smiled once more and eyed her more carefully now. "By the way, you look stunning."

Annabeth smiled at him. She supposed she did but hearing him say it made her feel more sure about herself. She was wearing a red dress that left her back bare and she had styled her hair in a fashionable chignon. She wore a pair of silver owl-earrings her mother had given her on her last birthday.

"Thanks, Luke." Thank God she didn't stutter.

"Wanna go outside? It's pretty cramped here." He said, offering his arm. Annabeth gratefully took it and let him usher her outside, in the balcony of the Ritz Hotel.

The gala was nothing if not fancy. And costly, of course. It was held every year to the Ritz Hotel, the most expensive hotel of New York City. Athena always hired the best catering in the city and sent the invitations herself. The participants were always top executives and businessmen, so the gala was packed to the brim with expensive suits and dresses from the best fashion designers.

Luke led her to the balcony. They were alone, except for the few waiters who passed them in a hurry carrying cockteils and champagne and a couple who were kissing passionately n the corner. The sight of them made Annabeth turn her head abruptly. Luke leaned over the edge of the sidewalk and turned to look at her. His eyes looked ghostly beautiful in the moonlight.

"So, did we make a good impression to you?" He asked, a teasing tone in his voice.

"Oh, no. The bathrooms were dirty and the food was horrible. I'm not gonna set foot in there again." Annabeth smirked, taking a drink from a passing waitress.

"I'm sorry. It's a pity, though. I thought you wanted to try out for the swimming team." Luke said casually.

Annabeth shot him a suspicious look. "Have you read my bio, or something?"

Luke grinned, his scar almost vanishing in his dimples. "My dad told me. Your mother said you were on the swimming team on your old school."

Annabeth frowned and set her glass down. "My mother talks too much."

"Anyhow, I think you will like it of you join. We got a great time, we made it to nationals last year. Besides, I will help you. I'm co-captain, so you don't need to worry about getting in or something. I can pull some strings."

"I don't need you to. I can get in by myself, I assure you" Annabeth snapped. She sighed "Sorry, Luke."

"Oh, don't worry. I know how to handle angry people. We have some of them in the swim team." Luke said. "Like our captain."

"Yeah, who is he?" Luke tried to speak, but Annabeth cut him off. "Oh, don't bother, I probably won't know him. I bet he's a senior."

"No, in fact I think you know him. It's that punk, Jackson. Percy Jackson." Luke said with a twitch of his lips, like he had tasted something bitter.

Annabeth's mouth almost fell open with surprise. She never pictured Jackson as a student who cared about school activities. My my, time to learn something about the boy with the deadly motorcycle.

"Yeah, he almost crashed his bike in my car today. He's also in my English class, with ." Annabeth found herself stangely nostalgic, as if an almost car accident with a handsome, no _I did not just think that_, well with a total stranger can be endearing.

"He's a good swimmer. But he sucks at almost anything else. He barely passes each class every year." Luke smiled in a hard way and his eyes glittered nastily. Annabeth didn't like that look.

"I don't know him that well. But all the girls in my woodshop class were talking about him. They seem to find his bad-boy attitude and tattoos captivating." Annabeth stared at Luke tried to read his face. He looked at her and his features turned hard.

"I hope you don't, Annabeth. This is no person to mess with. I heard he's in a gang. Do you know that last year he got expelled because of a fight? For God's sake, he never said why he did it, but my friend Ethan, (you remember him, the one with the eyepatch), he said that Jackson hit that guy because he said something about one of his friends, that emo kid, Nico. To inform you, the guy he hit had three stitches in the eyebrow."

Annabeth stayed silent, fixing her gaze in front of her. One part of her agreed with Luke(possibly the sensible part), but the other wanted to defend Percy, even though he had hit that guy. After all, he just stood up for his friend. Annabeth was really angry with the part that wanted to defend the punk-ass.

Just when Annabeth was opening her mouth to ask more, her mother appeared in the balcony." Annabeth, it's time to get going, you have school tomorrow." She noticed Luke standing beside her and smiled. "Oh, hello Luke. It's nice to see you."

"You, too Mrs Chase." Luke flashed her his brilliant smile, all his past irritation forgotten. He shook her hand.

"I', glad to see you hanging out with Annabeth. Your father said you have some classes together." Athena eyed Annabeth, who was rolling her eyes. Her mum seemed to have more spies than FBI.

"We do, Mrs Chase." Luke said cheerfully, giving her a quick glance.

"Well, I hate to spoil your fun, but we must go now."

"See you tomorrow, Luke." Annabeth said. Luke nodded and leaned in to kiss her cheek. She inhaled his scent and perfume. He had strong, rich smell that made Annabeth's head spin a little. "Goodnight." He murmures, his blue eyes shining.

Annabeth smiled a him. Maybe the night wasn't a total disaster.

**Please follow and review!**


	5. Dangerous

**A/N ****Thank you all for your support in my story! Reviews make my day. Also, if you have a prompt for a story, you can PM me **

**Something in the night is dangerous**

**Percy**

The blonde in the front row was pretty distracting.

She was wearing a black skirt that left little to Percy's imagination and a deep purple blouse. She had her blonde hair in a high ponytail, so he had a perfect view of her slender neck. And Annabeth didn't help at all, answearing all of ' questions on _Withering Heights_ and explaining in detail everything she said. Percy didn't understand half of it, probably because he was more interested in the tone of her voice, than what she was actually saying.

They hadn't spoken to each other since that day in the parking lot. Percy had been watching her carefully all week, though seeing her hanging out with Luke Castellan was harder than her thought it would be. He couldn't wait for the swimming practice later that day so he could kick his ass. Luke had been cornering him all year, trying to get his position as captain of the team, but Percy would rather do summer school, than let that prick take his place. Swimming was the only thing he was good at school, as with his severe ADHD and dyslexia he barely managed to pass every class each year.

"Percy, would you like to add something?"

Percy looked up from his desk where he had been tapping his pencil on the rhythm of the new Fall Out Boy song for the past half hour and he saw standing above him. The whole class had turned to look at him now;someone snickered. Annabeth turned around and her grey eyes twinkled amusedly.

"No, sir, I think she said it perfectly." Percy smirked, cocking his pierced eyebrow. sighed and went back to the front of the class. Annabeth looked at him like he had dropped from space for a moment, but when he tried to meet her eyes, she averted her gaze and turned around.

"Allright, guys, I want you to read the next chapter for next week's lesson. Class dismissed!" shouted to be heard above the rumble of the kids, who were making their way out of the classroom. It was the last period; only the theatre group and the swimming team kids would be staying at school now.

Percy grabbed his bag and hunched it over his shoulder. He had to go to the lockers to change because today would be the tryouts for the new members and he had to be there at least ten minutes earlier. Which meant that Percy would probably manage to be only fine minutes late, tops.

"Percy, come here please"

called from his desk, holding what dangerously looked like a report card. Percy swallowed dryly and looked nervously around him. The only people left in the room were he, and Annabeth Chase who was still lingering by the teacher's desk, tapping her foot impatiently. She was wearing green heals today, which showed of her eyes. Though Percy didn't care about that. He didn't care about that at all.

"Yes, sir?" Percy said, trying to hide his anxiety with a tone of boredom. He cracked his hands and went over to stand by Annabeth.

"Percy, I'm afraid your test results haven't been that good this semester. You have failed almost every one of them and I would hate to see failing the whole subject." was looking concerningly at him. Percy felt his heart rate speeding up. Failing the class? Already? Oh my God, his mum was going to _kill him._

Percy opened his mouth to speak but the teacher helf a finger in front of his face to shush him. "That's why I thought it would be a good idea to have someone to tutor you. And as Miss Chase here has previous experience from her old school and has excellent grades in English, she could be your tutor. You don't mind, do you Annabeth? You will get extra credit for that."

Percy looked horrified at Annabeth, to see how she was taking this. His mouth had hung open and he was staring at both of them incredulously. Percy couldn't decide if that was the best thing that has ever happened to him or the worst.

Surprisingly, Annabeth seemed much more calm about the whole thing. She glanced quickly over at him and said "There's no problem ."

The teacher smiled pleasantly at them and turned his gaze at Percy "I hope you will do better Percy. After all, I promised your mother that I would try to help you this year. Give her my regards okay?" He winked and left Annabeth and him alone in the classroom.

Percy felt his palms sweat and his face turning bright red. He rubbed his palms in his black skinn jeans and tugged his lip ring. "So I guess you are stuck up with me now. I'm...sorry?"

Annabeth smirked cockily at him. "Oh, don't worry. I'm sure I can manage."

"Perhaps they haven't warned you about me. I have failed almost every class. I have dyslexia and ADHD. And I have heard many girls complaining that I drive them nuts. You won't last a day." He said, as he and Annabeth walked down the hallway. Percy couldn't help the idiotic grin that spread at his face as he walked beside her. He inhaled deeply; her perfume smelled great.

Annabeth stopped at her locker and opened it. She pulled out a duffel bag and threw her jacket in. "Many girls? Well, I'm not like many girls I have met Percy Jackson. And I always like a challenge."

Percy gulped. The word _challenge_ sounded very dangerous at Annabeth's lips. He cleared his throat and pointed at the duffel bag with a nod of his head. "What do you want this for?"

Annabeth blushed a little before answearing. "Oh, I am trying out for the swim team now."

Percy wanted to set his hands on fire and shout "Muahahahahah". Instead, he flashed her a brilliant smile.

"You swim?" He asked her incredulously.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Yes, I _swim _ Percy Jackson. Why does that sound so surpising to you, I don't know."

Percy smirked devilishly at her. "Well, I will see you later then, Annabeth, I hope you get in the team."

He turned around as Annabeth casted a bizarre look at him. Even ifshe knew he was captain, he wanted to see her reaction when she found out who was going to validate her. And Percy Jackson could be a pretty hard judge.

**Annabeth**

The swimming pool was even worse than the cafeteria.

Annabeth's teeth clattered and she tried really hard not to cover her arms to prevent the goosebumps. She was wearing a black swimsuit, that covered well _almost _everything, but she could still feel the boys' eyes locked on her. Annabeth was standing in the far corner with the rest of the kids who were waiting to try out. Most of them were freshmen, but there were still some seniors. The competition was pretty hard, thought Annabeth. All the children there seemed to know one another, by the way they laughed and talked together, and they all seemed to be in good shape. Annabeth stood alone at the far edge of the group, trying to do some exercises to warm herself up.

She heard a whistle blowing and turned around. The swim team coach was coming their way. Coach Hedge was about five inches shorter than Annabeth but he made up to it with his attitude. He had curly black hair and his face always had a reddish glow on it, so he looked like an angry grumpkin most of the times.

"Allright, cupcakes! You are going to be separated in pairs and do 100m. freestyle and backstroke. Me along with the captain are going to decide which of you losers is going in the team. Seniors first!" yelled the coach, pointing his finger at her and another girl who was standing beside her.

Wait. Him along with the captain?

Annabeth scanned the crowd on the other edge of the swimming pool. Luke spotted her and gave her a thumbs-up. She waved at him, trying to hide her nervousness. He waved back. No, _he _ didn't wave back. Someone else did.

Percy Jackson waved at her, with that trouble-maker, killer smile of his. He had just finished his round in the pool, so his body was glistening with droplets of water. Annabeth gulped. He had the most perfect body she had ever seen. She couldn't believe he hid these abs under all those baggy shirts he wore all the time. His black hair were plastered against his forehead, making his sea-green eyes stand out.

_So hot._

She must have said that aloud because the girl standing next to her gave her a weird look. Annabeth shook her head, trying to snap out of the mindblock named Percy Jackson. She was never going to get this place if she kept thinking about him!

Annabeth climbed the diving board, waiting for the coach's signal. She could feel Percy's eyes on hers and that made her want to win this much more than before.

When she emerged, the rest of the swimming team engulfed her and started clapping her back. Annabeth couldn't hide her grin ans she started yelling along with them. She had beat the other girl by a matter of seconds, but it was enough. The coach approached her with a grumpy look.

"Don't cheer up too much, cupcake! You lose at least two seconds when you turn. But I suppose compared to the others you are just bad, so that's an improvement. What do you think Jackson?"

Percy stood beside him, his eyes locked on hers. Annabeth's heart rate which had started to slow down after the match started beating quickly again.

"Jackson?" said the coach once more.

"Um, yeah sorry, I got distracted." said Percy quickly, rubbing his eyes. "I think we should give her a shot, coach." He winked at her. Annabeth noticed that he had removed his lip ring.

"Hrmpf. I hope you don't disappoint us, Miss Chase." murmured the coach, shooting her a dirty look before leaving, which meant he probably liked her.

Percy turned to her."Welcome to the team, Princess."

She was at a loss for words. Annabeth never expected him to accept her in his team, especially after what Luke had said. Percy Jackson didn't seem that type of person at all. Before she could thank him, someone stepped in her line of vision.

"Hey, Annabeth! Congartulations." said Luke, hugging her.

"Thanks, Luke." said Annabeth, a bit less enthusiastically than she should. She peered over Luke's shoulder, trying to fing Percy but he had vanished. Annabeth pushed Luke off gently.

"I gotta go. I will see you tomorrow." She said, leaving an astonished Luke behind her. She run like a mad woman to the locker rooms. She felt so stupid, for believing such things about Percy.

She changed into her outfir in two seconds, without bothering to brush her hair. Very weird behaviour for Annabeth Chase, whose hair was always styled perfectly. Now she wore beat-up Converse shoes, a pair of old jeans and a T-shirt. Annabeth waved at the the rest of the girls, who were giggling at her and rushed out to the parking lot.

She found Percy next to his Yamaha, getting ready to put his helmet on.

_Ηere goes nothing._


	6. Too close for comfort

**Sorry for the long update guys! I promise I will update every week now! Please review and follow**

**Chapter 6**

**Too close for comfort**

**Annabeth**

_That stupid thing never works _Annabeth thought to herself as she tried to turn the engine on in her car. She must have been sitting there for at least ten minutes, cursing in her old clothes and the smell of chlorine in her hair. To make matters worse, Percy Jackson was standing a few feet ahead grinning at her from the seat of his Yamaha. He hadn't put his helmet on, instead he seemed to be feeling content with just watching her struggle. His hair was still raffled from the swim practice but his sea-green eyes shined with amusement. Annabeth glanced at him angrily, but he just smiled even more brightly and winked at her. He got off from his bike and approached her car. She quickly averted her gaze from him and tried to ignore her hammering heart. In moments she heard him tapping the window.

She ignored him.

He tapped again, more insistently.

"What d'you want, Jackson?" Annabeth said angrily, lowering her window.

"Just wanted to check on you. Your car seems to be having a problem." Percy replied casually, leaning against the door frame.

"I'm fine. It's probably gonna start in a minute. It keeps doing this kind of stuff a lot lately…" The rest of her words was cut off by a _bang_ coming from the front of the car. Annabeth got out of the car, terrified. Percy put his hands in her shoulders to support her. She quickly shooed them off and glared at him. Percy raised his eyebrows.

"It doesn't seem too okay to me." he said.

Annabeth shrugged. "I will call my dad. He can pick me up in a few hours after work and then he will take my car to service."

Percy frowned, looking at her like she had insulted him. He stood there for a few seconds, thinking. "Maybe I can give you a ride home."

Annabeth froze for a second. The one part of her brain screamed _Yes yes YES!._ That wasn't the rational part. She forced a neutral expression on her face .

"You are probably gonna get us killed." She said, pointing over to his bike. "Besides, you have no spare helmet."

"You can borrow mine." He offered quickly, looking all too pleased with himself. And maybe a little too eager. "It will be safe, I promise."

Annabeth sighed, thinking that is she died, it will at least be worth it. "You're on." She said.

As she climbed the Yamaha, Percy gave her his helmet and said "Just be careful not to leave any scratches."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm wearing sneakers, for God's sake." She tried to put her hands behind the motorbike , but Percy pulled them and put them around his waist. "We don't want you to get hurt." He said, half serious half joking.

Annabeth inhaled his cologne and closed her eyes. "No, we don't want that."

The rest of the way passed in silence, except for the occasional directions she gave him. When he stopped in front of her house, Annabeth took off the helmet and gave it to him. "Thanks, Percy."

He shrugged. "It's not everyday I get to give beautiful girls a ride home. And besides, you're helping me out with homework, so it's the least I could do."

Her brain had stopped working at the first sentence, replaying it over and over in her head, so it actually took a while to fathom what he had said.

"Oh yeah." _Sounding really intelligent right now._ "Um, well I guess I will see you on Wednesday after school."

Percy smiled and nodded. She watched until he disappeared at the corner of the street.

There were no swim practices until Wednesday so all Annabeth saw of Percy was a few glance at the hallways. He hanged out with his friends from the swim team. They didn't look like the kind of people who would be involved in a gang, like Luke had said, but then again she hardly knew them so she couldn't exactly form an opinion. Instead, she sat with Luke at lunch and his other friends. Once she caught Percy's stare from across the cafeteria but he averted his gaze when their eyes met.

When he came in the library after school on Wednesday, he mumbled a "hello" and sat in a chair facing hers. He opened his books and waited, still not looking at her. Or to be more specific, not looking at her eyes. He seemed absorbed in his own world and was quiet for most of the lesson. He didn't even make his usual sarcastic comments about her clothes.

When he didn't answer her question for the third time, she snapped her fingers in front of his face angrily. "Are you even listening?" she asked him.

Percy looked a bit hurt at her words. "I'm sorry Annabeth. It's just…I'm sorry." He pulled his books from the table in a flash and and put them in his bag. He got up from the table in lightning speed and made his way to the hallway before she could even blink. Immediately she followed him. He was moving to the empty hallway in a fast pace and Annabeth railed behing him, her heels echoing. They seemed the only people in the building; after all, it was past school time and all the teams had finished practice.

"Hey!" shouted Annabeth. Percy didn't turn. "Hey Jackson, wait!" She was getting out of breath. "Percy ,please." She repeated, a bit more desperately now.

He turned slowly. Annabeth caught up with him and gripped his arm. She felt him tense. "What the heck is wrong with you?"

Percy met her eyes, finally. He didn't seem angry, but sad, the usual light absent from his sea-green eyes. "I'm really sorry, Annabeth. It's just that I don't think you should tutor me, after all."

She felt her heart sink. "But, why? I mean I can't be that bad."

A half-smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "It's not you, it's me."

Annabeth gripped him harder. "What do you mean _it's you_?"

"Look, you shouldn't hang out with me. I mean I'm not at all like you. Sooner or later I will probably get you in trouble and then…" He tugged at his lip-ring. "Besides, I know your friends don't like me. I'm surprised you put up with me." He continued but she cut him off, pressing a finger to his lips.

"They are not my friends." She said, feeling good, like a weight was lifted off her shoulders. "They are not my friends." She repeated.

Percy's eyebrows shot up. "No?" He looked at her expectantly. They stood so close that Annabeth could count the tiny freckles in his cheeks. His breath smelled of peppermint.

"No." she said firmly, and drawing him closer, fully knowning that she would probably regret it later, she pressed her lips against his. Percy made a sound and wrapped his arms around hers. She felt so good, safe in his arms, that she didn't know how long it was until they broke apart.

It wasn't her first kiss, but it was the only kiss that made her feel something. His insistent mouth was parting her shaking lips, sending wild tremors along her nerves, evoking from her sensations she had never known she was capable of feeling.

Damn that Percy Jackson and his mouth.


	7. Safe and Sound

**Chapter 7**

**Safe and Sound**

**Percy**

It was getting really hard concentrating on his laps with Coach Hedge shouting above him.

But Percy couldn't help it. He didn't seem to be concentrating anywhere lately, especially not in in the swimming pool. Ever since that day he had kissed Annabeth his thoughts were constantly occupied by her. Especially now that she hadn't shown up to practice.

As he got out of the pool and headed to the lockers he stared at Luke, who was talking with Coach at the far end of the pool. Percy scowled at the sight; if he was just as bad to the other practices as this one, the Coach would likely give his place to Luke. And Percy would rather die than let that happen.

Percy caught up with him and tapped him on the shoulder. Luke turned and Percy suddenly felt uncomfortable, since he was a few inches shorter than him. He straightened up and said "Do you know why Annabeth didn't come to practice?"

"She didn't tell me anything. But I thought that since she is _tutoring_ you, you would now." He replied with a sarcastic grin. Percy felt his face flush and hoped that Luke didn't notice. "But maybe she got so tired of you at tutoring that coming to practice was just unbearable." Luke finished turning his back on him. Percy stood there, frozen to the spot. A part of him wanted to skewer Luke, but the other wondered if what he said was true.

Annabeth hadn't come to practice and since he didn't have her phone number, he had no way to contact her. After they kissed, she had smiled at him and made her way to her car ( which was finally fixed) and told him that she was going to see him tomorrow. Percy had gotten home in the most cheerful mood in weeks, which made his mum happy. That was something worth it, he supposed, since his mother didn't seem too well these days. Apart from working herself out, Sally Jackson had too heavy a burden to carry all by herself. And Percy couldn't forget what happened barely a month ago.

_It was past midnight and he was lounging in the coach watching some crappy TV show when he heard someone slamming their fist on the apartment door. He remembered that he had got up quickly and snatched the baseball bat they kept beside the door, thankful that his mother was asleep. He stood there facing the door for a few moments, sweat dripping down his back and his arms clenching the baseball bat tightly when someone slipped a note under the door. Percy quickly opened the door but whoever had left the note had already left. He picked it up and read it._

_**If I don't have the money in two weeks I will pay you a visit.**_

_It wasn't signed but Percy knew who had sent it. He made his way to the fireplace and threw the note away. He watched it blacken and burn until there was nothing left of it._

Two weeks had passed and Gabe hadn't shown up yet. Percy supposed it was just an act, a way to scare them into lending him money. And with what happened with Annabeth last week he hadn't given it a thought. And he knew that his mother was strong enough to deal with him if he ever showed up at their apartment door. But still Percy wanted to return home as early as possible these days.

As he made his way to the parking lot behind the swimming pool, he saw a man walking hurriedly pass him. He was wearing a black raincoat and had his face firmly planted on the ground. The man shoulder bumped Percy and sent him spiraling to the ground.

"Hey!" Percy shouted at the man, who didn't even turn. He kept going in the same fast pace until he disappeared from his sight.

Percy got up swearing and grabbed his back pack. A thin trail of blood was running from his lips where the force of hitting the ground had knocked his lip-ring out. He swiped it with the back of hand and made his way to his motorbike. A couple of girls who studied him curiously flinched when he shot them an angry look. He climbed on, so pissed off that he forgot to put his helmet on and left the parking lot at top speed.

When the brakes failed to work, Percy's first thought wasn't for himself. It wasn't even for his mother. His first thought was that he hoped that he had time to settle things with Annabeth before anything happened.

And then he didn't have a second thought because the next thing he knew was a blinding pain in his ribs and everything went black.

**A bit short, but I promise the next one would be much longer! Please review and follow and I will update as soon as I can!**


	8. Revelation at last

**A/N Thank you guys so much for all the reviews and the follows!It makes my day **

**Chapter 8**

**Revelation at last**

**Percy**

The next thing he remembered was waking up at a bed that wasn't his, opening his eyes to see dusty fluorescent lamps and stark white walls. Then the drugs overtook his body and he lost consciousness again.

When he woke up the second time, Percy could register a sniffling sound on the right side of his bed. He slowly turned his head, the movement making him groan, and found his mum sitting in a chair, half asleep. She looked so tired, like she hadn't slept properly in weeks that it made his heart clench. He tried to get up, but blinding pain shot up from his ribs. Percy looked around, taking in his surroundings for the first time. He was lying in a hospital bed in a dimly lit room. He was wearing a white hospital robe that made him feel glad no one else but him and his mum were there. Percy reached for the nightstand beside him to grab a bottle of water, but accidentally he knocked it over. It fell with a splitting _crack._

His mum opened her eyes immediately. "Percy?" she asked, standing to her feet at once. "Oh, Percy!" she cried, hugging him. He could feel her tears wetting his robe. He hugged her back with his good arm, feeling relieved and a little guilty.

"Mum?" he croaked, as Sally pushed him back in his pillow and stroked the hair from his forehead. "What happened?"

Sally sat back, looking at him with adoration. She ringed for the nurse and then answered "You…you had an accident, Percy. Apparently, they said that the brakes, for some reason, didn't work and then a car knocked you over." She sniffled, her eyes puffy from crying. "You were in a coma for seventeen days."

"_Seventeen days?"_ Percy asked incredulously. He felt his head swim from the information and a wave of nausea hit him. How was this possible? "What happened to me?" He asked with a trembling in his voice, thinking the worst.

"Well, baby, apart from a few broken ribs, the doctor said that when you fell, you twisted your leg somehow and then…" She stopped, looking anxiously at him.

"Then what?" Percy asked her, his heart racing rapidly.

"Oh honey I'm so sorry. The doctor said that there might be a possibility that…that you will never be able to swim again." She finished, touching his arm gently.

Percy felt her touch could. In fact, he felt like someone had dumped a bucket of cold water on him. He couldn't make out what his mother said next and he didn't even blink when the nurse came in to check on him. Percy felt like someone had violently ripped a part of him and left him staggering alone. Because if he couldn't swim, then there was no other place for him in school. He would never be able to make it in a good college. All his dreams would be lost. There was no way his grades were suddenly gonna rise up to the top at his senior year.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. He nodded at everything the doctors told him and how he would have to walk on crutches for a period of time to make sure that he could have the slightest possibility of swimming again, because "_It's not that bad,Percy, it really isn't" _as the doctor put it. He would just have to adjust to his new everyday life.

When he got up to go to the bathroom, he stared at his reflection in the mirror. If he hadn't known that it was him, he would have wondered who was wearing his piercings. The lip-ring was gone, of course, but his black hair had grown so much that it looked normal again, the green streak had vanished. His face had grown thinner, and his eyes had a gaunt look. Percy thought that if he saw a face like his in the street, he would have turned the other way. He felt sorry for the kid he used to be. Now he looked angrier, his face had an almost wolfish look. He returned back to his bed, promising to himself that he would never ride a motorcycle again.

His mother must have seen his distress because when he returned to his bed( with her help of course) she said "Rachel and Grover came to see you when you were in a coma. And Jason, too"

Percy felt his eyes burn at the sound of his best friend's names. He hadn't realized how much he had missed them until now. "Will they come to visit again?" He asked hopefully.

"Rachel was here almost everyday. I'm afraid she took it a bit too hard. She was always on the verge of tears. Jason and Grover said that they will pass later. I called them as soon as you woke up" Sally said happily. Just then, a nurse came in and informed his mother that there was someone waiting to see him. And now, it wasn't that redhead girl or the other two boys. Sally shot him a weird look and said that she would go check. Percy straightened against his pillows. He had no idea who would want to see him. Apart from a few friends, he was no social butterfly. So then, who-

The door bust open and in walked Annabeth, her eyes frantically searching for him. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a baggy T-shirt, so different from her usual attire in school. Her blonde hair was a mess. Percy thought he liked her much better like that.

Annabeth locked her grey eyes into his and for a moment they stood there silently facing each other. Them, she threw her arms around him so hard that Percy almost couldn't breathe. He didn't mind at all. He hugged her just a tight, inhaling the scent of her hair.

"You fucking idiot!" she shouted slapping him in the arm. "How stupid are you?" she asked him, ready to strike him again.

"Hey, hey calm down." Percy started, clearly taken aback from her reaction.

"Do you know how scared I was when you didn't show up to school for _a week?_ And then I heard, from Rachel of all people, that you had an accident. And _ no one _ thought to inform me!" she shouted, tears of relief mixed with anger streaming down her face.

"I didn't mean to-" started Percy, but he was cut off by Annabeth's lips pressing against his own. He grasped her face in his hands, staring deep into her grey eyes before leaning down to kiss her; hard and fast and desperate. And she was kissing him back, letting out a noise halfway between a moan and a sob, and latching onto him, winding her arms around his neck and pulling him against her.

Percy didn't know how long it was until they separated, losing himslef in the kiss, but what he could never forget was the astonished look on Grover's, Rachel's and Jason's face when they found him kissing Annabeth Chase in the hospital bed.

"Um...maybe we should come another time?" asked Jason, awkardly looking somewhere on top of Percy's head. Annabeth pulled back, her face strawberry red from embarassment. Rachel was grinning like crazy and Grover was mouthing something he couldn't register.

"No..no guys, it's fine you can stay" started Percy, feeling his palms suddenly sweating. He propped himself on his elbows. "This is An-"

"I'm his girlfriend" Annabeth said, clasping his hand. "Annabeth, nice to meet you."

Percy couldn't help the grin that covered his face. He was sure that he had never looked that idiotic his whole life until now. As his friends greeted Annabeth, he could almost forget that they were in a hospital, that he might never be able to swim again and all the stuff that had happened to him these past days. Holding Annabeth's hand, he felt good again. Well, maybe good was underrated. He felt great.

"I'm so glad you're okay, man" said Grover, leaning in to hug him. He whispered in his ear "Really, now, you and _Annabeth Chase?_". Percy gave him a nervous smile; he still couldn't believe what had just happened.

"So, I'm gonna help Sally with...um with...well I'm gonna help her. I will be back later" said Rachel, winking at him as she left ther room.

"I'm going, too" said Jason, hurriedly getting out of the room. He grabbed Grover by the collar of his shirt and dragged him along.

Percy stared at his hand, which was still tightly interwoven with Annabeth's. He looked up to her eyes, which were shining with enthusiasm. "So, my girlfriend?" he asked her teasingly.

"It sounded better than : my study partner who I occasionally make out with" Annabeth said with a laugh. "Why, is there a problem with that?"

"None at all" Percy said, leaning forward to press a soft kiss in her lips. "But, Annabeth, you see my leg-"

Annabeth pressed a finger in his lips. "I know. Rachel told me everything."

Percy scrunched his eyebrows. "It's probably going to be useless from now."

"Whatever it is, we are going to get through this together. I'm not gonna leave you now. Especially now that you managed to knock yourself out for seventeen days when we had our first kiss. I can't even imagine what will happen now that you are my boyfriend" Annabeth said, pressing a kiss in his forehead. Percy felt his insides melting.

"I'll come pick you up from school next week. To return the favor" She said, as she got up from the bed.

"Are you sure you can handle a car ride with me, Chase?" He asked her, raising his eyebrows at her.

"Is that a challenge, Jackson?" She asked him mischievously, her grey eyes twinkling.

"If you want it."

"Challenge accepted, then."

**A week later**

The sight of Annabeth Chase escorting Percy Jackson to his class with her arm wrapped tightly around his waist was enough to make them the centre of attention at Goode High.

_Holy shit are they dating?_

_I didn't even know they knew each other._

_That girl is damn lucky._

For the first time, Percy didn't care that everyone in the school gossiped about him. Maybe that was because for the first time it was about something actually _good_ that had happened to him.

**A/N I hope you liked this chapter!Please leave a review!**


	9. Just Ride

**Chapter 9**

**Just Ride**

**Annabeth**

It was the first time she was going to meet her boyfriend's parents officially and Annabeth was more nervous than ever. Not that she had ever planned on going to Percy Jackson's house as his _girlfriend_, of course. But things have changed.

It was almost over a month since Percy's accident and Annabeth's life had changed a lot. Since they came to school every morning together the other students eventually got used to it and stopped staring everytime they held hands in the hallways or Percy gave her a kiss on the cheek whenever she helped him with the crutches. Well, not everyone stopped staring. Annabeth had not exchanged a word with Luke since she became Percy's girlfriend, not even on swim practice. She had tried to talk to him since, in Percy's absence, he was captain of the team, but he avoided her completely. One time she caught him looking at her with a pained expression from the end of the hallway but he averted his gaze when she tried to meet his eyes.

But that didn't mean that she did not have any friends. Percy's friends were much more welcome than Luke's ever were with her. She had already met Jason, Grover and Rachel from their unforgettable meeting at the hospital and they introduced her to Piper, Jason's girlfriend and Leo, who she shared a class with but had never spoke to him before. They sat together at lunch, but it took time for Annabeth to warm up to them. She never really did have any true friends back in San Francisco, and the children of her mother's colleagues never seemed interesting to her.

So, here she was outside Percy's apartment on a Friday evening. Annabeth had briefly met Sally Jackson on the hospital but she never really had the opportunity to get ti know her. But, she was sure that she was nothing like her own mum. Sally gave off that ''mum'' vibe that Athena lacked. And, of course, the fact that Percy had invited her to his house after barely a month of dating spoke volumes about his feelings.

Annabeth sighed and did a quick check in the mirror of the elevator. She had chose a simpler outfit than what she usually wore in school, a pair of black jeans and a white blouse. Lately, she did that quite often. Ever since she and Percy had gotten together, Annabeth didn't really bother with her usual fancy dresses anymore. She had more important things to worry about.

As she knocked the door of the apartment, Annabeth heard the familiar sound of Percy's crutches on the floor. It didn't take too long for him to open; Annabeth suspected that he had been waiting for her just behind the door. He opened the door with one hand , a huge grin plastered in his face. It wasn't the usual smirk he gave her when she had first met him in her english class. This kind of smile he gave only to her, the kind of smile that made his sea-green eyes light up.

"Hey" He said, stepping back to let her in. Annabeth hesitantly stepped forward, only to be engulfed in Percy's arm. He kissed her in the cheeck, closing the door behind her. "I missed you." He whispered in her ear.

Annabeth blushed. "You only saw me yesterday"

Percy smiled and let her go. "Come, my mum is waiting in the kitchen"

As Percy walked in front of her, Annabeth surveyed the house. It was small, compared to hers, but it felt more like "home", in the deeper sense of the word. There was a small fireplace in the living room, in front of a dark blue sofa, that drew Annabeth's eye. She approached it, carefully stepping over Percy's discarded videogames in front of the TV, and noticed a picture of Percy on top of it. She smiled and picked it up. Percy must have been around seven or eight when the picture was taken. He was in swimming trunks and he held up a gold metal in the camera, grinning hugely. She traced his face with her fingers.

"Hey!" Percy snatched the picture from her hands, looking half-amused, half-annoyed. "Don't look at the photos. That's personal stuff."

"But you were so cute. I think your eight year old self was way hotter than you now" Annabeth said, pocking him in the ribs.

"Eight year old me had some game, huh?" Percy asked, grabbing her by the waist and kissing her full on the lips.

"Percy?" asked Sally from the kitchen. "Where are you?"

Annabeth pulled back immediately, her face turning redder by the second. "Do that once more and I will never talk to you again" She warned him.

"You are just too easy" Percy followed Percy, attempting and failing to brush her wild curls. She could feel her palms sweaten.

Sally Jackson was leaning in the counter smiling. She had long black hair and kind blue eyes, that looked exactly like Percy's even though they had a different color. They also shaired the smile and dimples and the looke she gave Percy when he entered was enough to make Annabeth's throat clench. She knew Percy's father had died when he was a baby, leaving him and his mother alone in the world save for an abusive stepfather that Percy never really talked about. Annabeth also knew that Sally's dream was to become a writer, though she currently worked at a candy shop to make ends meet. Percy was all she got.

_You better not screw this up._

"Annabeth! It's so good to see you again!" Sally said, walking over to where she stood to give her a hug. She smelled of chocolate cookies. Annabeth immediately relaxed.

"It's nice too see you too, Mrs Jackson" Annabeth said, glad to see that her anxiousness had melted away. She realised that she felt more at home at Percy's house by the minute.

"I'm glad you will stay with us for dinner, Annabeth. Percy's told me everything about you" continued Sally, placing some forks and knives on the table.

Annabeth shot Percy a sideways look. He shrugged and stuck out his tongue.

"Only good things I hope" She laughed nervously.

"What else would she hear from me?" Percy asked softly, winking at her.

Annabeth was ready to make a nasty reply to that when she noticed what Sally was holding. "Is that... a blue pizza?" She asked curiously.

"Oh yes. It's just something me and Percy used to do from when he was little. Whenever we celebrated something, we made blue food. Don't worry, it tasted exactly the same" Sally said, smiling warmly at her.

Annabeth had never tated anything with food coloring before but she thought that she wouldn't have cared even if it tasted awful. Every detail she learned of Percy's life, even tiny ones like blue food, seemed interesting to her. They helped her complete the picture of Percy she had in her mind.

Dinner in the Jackson household was much more different than in her. Whilst she usually ate with one of her parents or totally alone, here it seemed that even though there were just two other people in the table, it was more than enough to enjoy herself. Sally told her stories about Percy when he was younger, that made him close his ears, complaining that he was outnumbered two to one. Annabeth pressed her to say more, ignoring the stares Percy gave her. When Sally was in the middle of recounted the first time they went to Montauk, Percy got up.

"I have to go to the bathroom. I can't stand hearing any more of these" He said with a faked angry look in his face. Annabeth laughed at that. She wanted to ask him whether he need any help, but she knew Percy would like to do it himself.

When he left, Annabeth and Sally were alone in the kitchen. She sighed and placed her hands on her glass to keep them busy. Sally met her eyes and smiled at her, reaching to hold her hands in hers.

"I'm very glad Percy had found you, Annabeth. You see, ever since his father died, Percy rarely showed his emotions to other people besides me. You are the first girl he has ever brought home, Annabeth. I hope you realise how important this is for him. He never really let anyone in before you." Sally stopped for a bit, still holding her hand tightly. "And I think you must be a very special girl. He...he is lucky to have you." She finished, her blue eyes kind and warm.

Annabeth realised she had been holding her breath. Tears had welled up in her eyes. She opened her mouth to reply, but then she heard Percy coming back from the bathroom. Annabeth quickly wiped her eyes clean before he came back to the kitchen. He smiled at her and for a moment he looked so much like his mother that it scared her. She wondered if he had heard their conversation.

The rest of the dinner passed quickly, or so Annabeth thought. She kept relplaying her conversation with Sally in her head, wondering who Percy really was. The pieces of the puzzle had started to come together but there was still something missing. And then there was what Sally had said. She thought that Percy was lucky to be with her, but in truth Annabeth was luckier still. Percy may be poorer than her but his mother made up for it a thousand times more.

When she left, Sally hugged her "Take care, Annabeth. I hope I will see you again."

"Oh, you will. Annabeth is going to tutor me in english. You can't get rid of her" Percy said cheerfully, opening the door for her. "I will escort you to your car, my lady" He said to her.

Annabeth waved a last goodbye at Sally and got in the elevator with Percy. She held the door open for him.

"You don't have to help me, Annabeth. I can do it on my own." Percy said casually, almost carefree. But she could pinpoint the strain in his voice. He hated feeling weak and useless. And not being able to swim had taken its toll on him.

The rest of the the way to the car passed in silence. When they reached her car, Annabeth stopped and touched his face. Percy looked at her, his eyes full of sadness.

"We will get pass this, Percy. Together. I don't want you to worry about that." Annabeth said, cupping his cheeck. "I won't leave you."

Percy leaned in her touch, pressing a kiss to the inside of her palm that sent shivers to her spine. "Together."

**A/N Sorry for the late update guys! I hope you like this chapter!Please review and follow**


	10. Clarity

**Chapter 10**

**Clarity**

**Percy**

The worst thing was that he couldn't swim.

Seeing Luke's arrogant grin in the hallways everyday and his teammates looking at him with pity, Percy felt angrier than ever. Even when Coach Hedge told him that it wasn't a permanent expulsion from the team, _if_ of course he could swim later, Percy felt like his old life at school had vanished. After his accident, everything had changed. He was no longer the punk everyone feared and the best swimmer at school. It was as if his whole identity was stripped from him, leaving him wondering what he could do next. He wasn't a particularly good student; his whole future relied on his swimming skills. Now that this could well be over, he had little left of him.

But he had Annabeth. That was another major turn in his life. No one had expected valedictorian Annabeth Chase to be dating someone like _him._ To be true, they had little things in common. Though they had one important thing. They were crazy for each other.

Percy was not used to having such a relationship. His previous girlfriends never really interested him in the way Annabeth did. And he wasn't used to let anyone know about his feelings. He preferred to show the world the mask of his usual indifference, he preferred to be the tough guy with no emotions rather than let them anyone know who he truly was. Because if he had shown his emotions, he could be hurt. And that was something Percy wouldn't like to repeat again in his life. But the thing is that somehow Annabeth managed to bring out the best of him in every situation. He wasn't used to the closeness of their relationship. His grade in English class started dropping because he couldn't focus on anything but Annabeth sitting right in front of him, twirling her golden hair in her hand or winking at him during class. He had become used to holding her hand all day in school and sitting beside her at lunch. His only goal everyday was to make her laugh, because that made him happy too. Most importantly, his friends have noticed the change in him. It wasn't just the fact that he relied on crutches to work or that he had stopped swimming. It was that by becoming a couple with Annabeth, his whole personality had altered. For the better, of course. He had abandoned his permanent scowl and seemed more care-free at all times. Percy thought he was very lucky that he had found Annabeth in one of the toughest periods of his life. Without her, he would have gone insane.

After the last lesson of the day, Percy grabbed his backpack and headed to the swimming pool. It was Friday, so Annabeth had training after her lessons and they had agreed that he would be waiting for her to go to the movies afterwards. It was hard for him to watch his teammates train without him but he got to watch Annabeth in her swimsuit so that made up for it. Percy walked slowly towards the pool, avoiding the stares he got in the hallway. Thankfully, he still maintained his 'wolf stare' so nobody said anything to him or worse, help him.

The smell of chlorine hit him as he entered the pool. Percy breathed heavily and closed his eyes for a moment. He had missed swimming so much it actually physically hurt him to stand aside in the bleachers while the others trained. Percy set his backpack beside him and watched Annabeth and Luke compete in the 100m freestyle. Percy noted with pride that Annabeth was getting much better than when she first entered the team. He tried not to stare too long at the way her legs were moving because then he would probably start to drool, so he fixed his eyes on the other swimmer. Luke narrowly won, but Annabeth didn't seem distraught by it. Luke raised his hand for a high-five and she obliged. He was smiling at her, but Percy couldn't make out if she was smiling back. He gritted his teeth, annoyed by the gesture. He wanted so bad to throw one of his crutches at Luke, but he decided against it. After all, he was technically _still_ the team captain and Percy thought that breaking his co-captain's head would seem like bad team spirit. He settled for promising to himself that he wouldn't miss any of Annabeth's trainings anymore.

Just then, Annabeth noticed him sitting there. She waved at him, her grey eyes sparkling. He felt himself grinning uncontrollably. _God, she must think I am such an idiot_ Percy thought, forcing himself to stop waving back at his girlfriend like a madman. Also, he hoped that she hadn't noticed him staring at her when she got out of the pool. _Great, an idiot and a perv. _

Coach Hedge approached him when practice was over. Percy was waiting for Annabeth to change in the girl's locker room, so he and Coach were alone in the pool. He looked at him with a hard stare in his eyes, but with no pity. For that, Percy was thankful.

"So, Jackson" said Coach with his usual grumpy manner. "How's your leg?"

"I'm going to the doctor tomorrow for the check-up. He said that I might need to have another surgery" Percy replied.

The Coach hesitated before answering, which seemed odd to Percy because the Coach never held back on anything he had to say. "Look, kid, you are the best swimmer on the team. I know that, you know that, the whole team knows that. But, if you keep missing training you will be left behind. And then, Castellan will take your place. Permanently."

Percy stared at the Coach for a moment, dumb-founded. "But…but I can't do anything about it. It's…"

"I know, Percy" the Coach cut him off. "And I really hope that you will be back with us. But until then I have a whole team to take care of. They need someone with strong leadership. Someone who can motivate them."

The last words rang a bell in Percy's head. He smiled triumphantly. "Annabeth almost beat Luke today." He started carefully.

"So?" asked Coach, raising his eyebrows.

"So, she's a good swimmer. And she is a strong leader. Annabeth's a member of the student council. She knows about this kind of stuff. She will be much better at it than Luke, I am sure of it" said Percy. His heart was beating loudly from the excitement.

Coach Hedge scratched his beard. "Hmm, it's not a bad idea, Jackson, but Luke is on the team far longer than Annabeth. Perhaps I will make them compete and then we'll see"

Percy nodded smiling and the Coach left, scribbling something on his notebook. He walked towards the parking lot, deciding to wait Annabeth beside her car. A few moments later she appeared on the sidewalk, wearing a pair of jeans and one of his sweatshirts, which he had given to her when they started dating. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun and she wore no makeup. She looked great.

"Hey" she said casually, wrapping her arms around him. Percy closed his eyes, inhaling the smell of her lemon shampoo deeply. She perched on her tiptoes and kissed him.

"You were great today at practice. Like a mermaid" Percy said teasingly, pulling one loose strand of her golden hair in his finger and twirling it.

"Shut up" Annabeth said, blushing. "Get in, before I change my mind and leave you here"

Percy laughed at the look in his girlfriend's face and got in the car. He didn't want to tell her that she might as well be captain of the swimming team because he had talked to Coach about it, so he didn't mention anything at all about swimming.

"It's the first time I am letting a girl drive me anywhere. You should be honored" Percy informed her pompously, relaxing in his seat. "But I must admit your driving is…adequate."

Annabeth gasped surprisingly, elbowing him in the gut. "Only _adequate?_ I'm sure I am a much better driver than you, Jackson. Besides you never even owned a car."

"Okay, okay you are a very good driver. You are only slightly worse than me. Happy now?" asked Percy, rubbing the spot where she had hit him.

"Not quite. Driving you requires payment" said Annabeth, as they reached the cinema. She parked the car and looked at him expectantly, a hint of a smile tracing her lips.

"Payment?" Percy asked her confused. "What kind of payment?"

"This kind" Annabeth whispered, leaning close to him and pressing her lips against his. Percy felt himself melting in her. He swore that sometimes when Annabeth kissed him, he couldn't remember his own name. She placed her hands on either side of his face and traced the outline of his jaw.

"I think I am okay with that" Percy said with a raspy voice. Annabeth smiled sweetly at him, almost shyly. Percy pressed a last kiss on her forehead and got out of the car.

He had already sat in the theater when he saw Annabeth approach, balancing two big popcorn boxes in her hands. Percy felt a pang of guilt when he saw her struggling, but she was adamant about him doing anything. Annabeth started to say something when she was just a few feet away from him but he would never know what it was, because just then she tripped, the popcorn boxes spilling on the floor. Without thinking, Percy instinctively surged forward to keep her from falling too. He caught her from her elbow.

Wait.

_He caught her from her elbow._

Percy realized that he was standing. He was actually standing. Without the help of crutches. He let go of Annabeth. He still stood a little wobbly on his feet, but he stood. Percy looked at Annabeth, who was staring shocked at him.

"Percy…?" she started, a smile forming on her lips.

Percy couldn't stop the grin that spread in his face. His head practically swam with relief. He couldn't remember much of what happened later that evening. He did remember that he and Annabeth had rushed straight to the hospital, his mother crying tears of happiness when she saw him walking and the doctor saying that he would be able to swim again in a few weeks, providing that he was very careful from now on and his mum saying that she was buying him a car instead of a motorbike now.

There was one thing that still scared him, though. When they were at the hospital and they had found out that he would be able to swim again, he first noticed Annabeth's face. She looked like the best thing in the world had happened to her.

He had come _this_ close to telling her he loved her. But he couldn't do that. He had never said that to anyone before in his life. He didn't want to tell her anything this important without being sure of his own feelings before. It wasn't an ordinary person. Annabeth had quickly climbed at the top of the people her cared for. Percy couldn't identify what exactly he felt for her, but he would make sure that he would figure it out. He was scared that he might hurt himself in the process. But she seemed worth it.

**A/N I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It will take a while for me to update again but I will make sure it is before the end of July! Please review and follow!**

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	11. Blue is the warmest color

**Chapter 11**

**Blue is the best color**

**Annabeth**

"But why are they blue?"

She was sitting cross-legged at Percy's bed holding a blue cookie questioningly in front of her face. Percy raised his head from his Algebra book, his hair sticking out in odd angles. He rubbed the tiredness from his eyes and yawned, relaxing back to his chair.

"If I tell you, do I get a half-hour break?" He asked her grabbing a cookie and shoving it whole in his mouth, chewing it thoughtfully.

"A fifteen-minute break, if the story is interesting" Annabeth replied, eyeing him expectantly. Percy sighed and climbed the bed, sitting next to her. His expression had turned serious. The usual light sea green of his eyes had darkened.

"When we lived with my stepfather" Percy begun hesitantly. "Gabe and my mum got in a huge fight. It was my fifth birthday and I asked my mum to make me a blue birthday cake, cause as you know it's my favorite color. Gabe told me that there is no blue food and my mum argued heavily with him. I can't ever remember her so angry before" He glanced briefly at her, as if afraid of her reaction. "Ever since, she is trying to make everything blue, like blue birthday cakes, cookies…" Percy stopped abruptly, his face bright red. "It's kinda stupid, I know" He said, smiling thinly.

"No, no it's not stupid at all" Annabeth said quickly, placing a hand to his shoulder. Percy looked at her, seeming relieved that she hadn't laughed at him. "I think that was pretty brave of your mum. It takes a lot to stand up to such a man." She continued calmly, tracing her finger through his back soothingly.

Percy stiffened for a moment and then nodded, not looking at her in the eye. He began playing with the seam of his sweater. Annabeth didn't press him for more. She could count on the fingers of her right hand the times Percy had mentioned his stepfather. Annabeth knew that he and Sally had divorced a couple of years ago and that he was abusive to both her and Percy. She suspected that this was the main reason her boyfriend had trust issues.

"Well, I think you deserve your thirty-minute break" She said casually, trying to lighten his mood. Percy shot his eyebrows surprised at her and then, smiled mischievously. He wrapped an arm around her waist, kissing her quite thoroughly. Annabeth smiled against his lips as Percy threaded his hands in her hair. She sighed, relaxing in his embrace. She could feel his heart beating in time with her own.

Studying with Percy had become a routine after they became a couple. At first, they had tried studying in the school library after their swim practice but Percy complained that he couldn't concentrate in front of their other classmates who were constantly staring at them. So, he suggested they study at his place. Annabeth didn't mind in the least; it was the perfect excuse for seeing Percy outside of school and spending time with him. Plus, she loved his house. It had that "homey" atmosphere hers lacked.

"I wanted to ask you something" Annabeth said against his neck. Percy hummed, placing kisses to her neck. She closed her eyes for the moment, savoring the feeling and continued "There…there is a gala my mum's company is organizing on Saturday and she wants me to go"

"So?"

"So I wondered if you could come with me. You know, like a date" She said, pulling back to look him in the eyes.

Percy scrunched his brow. "Are you sure? Cause I don't think it's a very good idea" He run his hand over his recently cut hair. He had dyed a streak of it a bright green, which gave him some of his old look. "I don't think your appreciate it very much if you showed up with me"

"Oh, who cares Percy? I stopped bothering with what pleased my parents a long time ago. Better that way" Annabeth said firmly with a bitter edge in her voice. Percy raised his eyebrows but didn't say anything.

"But we'd agreed to go to Grover's to play board games this Saturday" Percy whined, burying his face in the crook of her neck once more. He groaned loudly, but Annabeth smirked, knowing that he would eventually give in.

"Well, if you don't come" She started teasingly "I would be forced to hang out with Luke all night" Percy sat up quickly at the sound of the name, glaring at her.

"What the heck would he be doing there?" Percy asked angrily, tightening his grip to her waist.

"His dad is the Public Relation manager. He always attends such events and Luke accompanies him" Annabeth said, tightening her lips, as if she had tasted something bitter. "He probably wants to take his dad's place when he grows ups so I will have to put up with him forever"

"But then we have to go!" Percy proclaimed, a slightly triumphant look in his eyes. "I can't miss my chance to show off my gorgeous girlfriend on such an elite company" He continued with a sarcastic edge in his voice.

Annabeth laughed, hitting him in the shoulder. "It's good to know you only want me for my stunning looks" She said seriously.

"Hey, watch it Chase" Percy grabbed by the waist and threw her on the other side of the bed, straddling her waist. He gave her his usual troublemaker smile that made her knees go weak; she wanted to wipe that smirk off his face by kissing him. Instead, she placed her hands on his chest, planting a kiss on his wave tattoo there. She felt him inhaling deeply, leaning unconsciously against her.

"You don't know the best part yet" She whispered.

"Which is?" He murmured, his eyes closed.

"You get to wear a tux"

Percy's eyes opened wide in horror. "Oh, _come on _Annabeth! You know I don't _do _tuxes"

"It will be fun, Seaweed Brain!" She said, seeing him flich at the sound of the nickname. "We can go and buy one together if you'd like. It's gonna be fun"

Percy collapsed on top of her with an _oof_, suffocating her with his weight. "That's the exact definition of fun"

Annabeth gave him a hard shove that caused him to land hard on the floor. Percy laughed and grabbed her wrist, pulling her on top of him. "One condition" He whispered in her ear, making her shiver "The piercings are staying on" He pointed to the various ones in his eyebrow, but he still hadn't replaced his lip ring. Annabeth kind of missed the feel of it when they kissed. He made a move to kiss her but she placed her finger on his lips.

"Break's over, Seaweed Brain"

**Percy**

The tuxedo was _so _not his thing.

He could feel the tie uncomfortably tight in his neck. To be frank, everything about him made him feel uncomfortable, which meant that he probably must have looked presentable. His mum almost had a fit when she saw him in the midnight blue tux Annabeth had picked for him. Percy had to admit that he did look smart. Even for a guy like him, who found it hard to appreciate anything rather than black jeans.

The Ritz Hotel that hosted the gala was one of the most luxurious hotels in New York. Never in his life would Percy have imagined that he would be invited in an event in such a place. He did get some odd looks when he stepped in the threshold. Most people would have wondered what this handsome teenager in an expensive suit along with dyed hair and pierced eyebrows was doing there. Percy made his way to the Grand Ballroom feeling self-conscious as he got some appreciative looks from a group of girls in fancy dresses who stood outside the room. He casted them a quick glance to see if Annabeth was one of them but sadly she wasn't. He kept moving, not resisting the urge to smile at them. They started giggling but Percy didn't stop. He kept moving, thinking that his old self would have stopped to flirt.

When he entered the Grand Ballroom, Percy had a hard time keeping his mouth from hanging open. The ballroom was packed to the brim with people from the elite of New York. He spotted men he often saw on Tv, all of them wearing expensive tuxes with practiced ease, as if they did that every day. Which, of course, they probably did.

Percy grabbed a glass of wine from a passing waiter and drank half of it in one large gulp. Seeing all those rich businessmen and thinking that his girlfriend associated with this kind of people all her life, made him wonder what the heck he was doing there for the the thousandth time.

"You look very handsome"

Percy turned at the sound of the voice. Rachel Dare was standing behind him, wearing an elegant green dress that showed off her eyes and left her left shoulder bare. Her flaming red hair fell in waves. Percy blinked a little at the sight of her; it was the first time he saw Rachel in a dress.

"Hey" He kissed her cheek. "What are you doing here?"

"My dad made me come. You know he's… involved in this stuff" Rachel shifted uncomfortably. Percy knew her dad was one of the richest men in the world, but her had learned that after years of his friendship with her. He knew she had a rocky relationship with her father. "But, I knew you and Annabeth would be here, so I guessed it wouldn't be that bad"

"Thank you for finding my company _not that bad, _Miss Dare. I appreciate it very much." Percy bowed, trying to cheer her up. Rachel laughed, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes.

"Actually, Percy, now that Annabeth's not here I wanted to talk to you about something" Rachel said anxiously, looking behind her to check if anyone was eavesdropping.

"What about?" He asked curiously.

"Do..do you remember that you told the police that you crushed your Yamaha because the brakes wouldn't work?" She started cautiously, looking at him hard in the eyes.

"Yes…"

"Stranger though, don't you think? The motorbike was in perfect condition in the morning. So when you were unconscious, I … I took the liberty and made some of my dad's men investigate it."

"Did they find anything interesting?" Percy asked, surprised that his voice sounded that calm when his heart beat that loud.

"Percy, there is no easy way to say this, but…but your bike was sabotaged. Someone had messed with the brakes" Rachel said, clasping him by the arm as if afraid he would collapse.

Percy felt like someone had punched him in the gut. He stared at her uncomprehending for a few moments. The tie was unbearable around his neck. "Rachel, do me a favor" He said firmly. "Don't tell anyone about this"

"But…"

"But no. I don't want my mum or Annabeth or anyone else to worry about me." Percy could feel the fear he originally felt subside and something her was all too familiar with creeping inside him. Anger.

"Do you have any idea who could…?"

"Yes. And a very good idea" He growled. "Who would profit more from my death?"

If Percy died before turning eighteen, his late father's inheritance would pass down to his mother and then, to whomever marry her. And without Percy in the picture, Gabe Ugliano could easily step in Sally's life once more. Percy tightened his fists until the knuckles turned white. He would never let that happen again. Never again.

"Percy?"

The anger went out of him like a gush of wind at the sound of his girlfriend voice. The sight of her was enough to make him forget anything. Annabeth was wearing a blue elegant dress that matched his, that emphasized her curves in ways Percy _did not_ want to think about right now. Her beautiful blonde hair was styled up in a chic bun. She was wearing a pair of owl earrings her mum had given her as a gift.

Percy must have stood there gaping like an idiot for forever, but what was surprising was that Annabeth stared at him too, blinking as if not quite believing he was there.

"You look amazing" He croaked, taking her hand.

Annabeth blushed furiously. "The tux suits you"

"Well, I know it does" Percy replied, taking a snobbish pose. Annabeth grabbed him by the tie and kissed him. He could taste her strawberry lip gloss and smell her lemon shampoo.

"What's wrong Perce? What were you guys talking about?" Annabeth asked, pulling back to look him and Rachel in the eyes. They exchanged a quick glance as he shot Rachel a death glare.

"Just school. I was asking him about him returning to the swimming team" Rachel said convincingly. Annabeth didn't seem too convinced though; before she could open her mouth to ask more, Percy grabbed her by the waist and lead her to the dance floor.

"Percy, are you sure everything is okay?" She asked him when he placed his hand in her waist as a tango begun playing. Her grey eyes were searching his frantically and with so much love he was afraid he would drown in them. For a moment he was tempted to tell her everything.

"I will tell you , Annabeth, I promise but not now." He said as he twirled them around. "Now I want to enjoy a dance with my beautiful girlfriend"

**A/N Sorry for the late update guys!I hope you enjoyed this! Please REVIEW and follow. And please check out my new pjo story "A pirate's life for me" which will be posted soon! **


	12. Maps

**A/N Please check out my other pjo fanfic "A pirate's life for me"**

**Chapter 12**

**Maps**

**Percy**

Pain shot up his leg as he hit the tiles of the swimming pool. Gritting his teeth, Percy pushed himself harder, trying to ignore the dull pain throbbing from his ankle. It was the second swim practice he attended after his accident and still he felt as though his leg hadn't healed at all. He kept swimming freestyle until he reached the other end of the pool, knowing that the Coach and the rest of the team were watching him closely. The first swim meet of the season was only a week ahead and he had to show the best of himself, if he were to remain as team captain. When he finished his laps, Percy dove underwater, letting the tears spill from his eyes. The pain was agonizing. He surfaced, glad for the goggles that hid his face from the rest of the team.

"Jackson!" shouted Coach Hedge, as he leaned from the edge of the pool to face him. He eyed him carefully. "Are you all right?"

"Fine, coach" Percy grunted, pulling the goggles out of his eyes. He knew he must have looked pretty bad, but he didn't avert his gaze from the coach. "I can continue" He added firmly. There was no way he was going to meet any more practices, no matter how much his leg hurt.

Coach Hedge didn't seem too convinced, but he sighed and patted him on the back. "Well take it easy kid. You don't want to hurt yourself before the swim meet" He said, his voice almost sympathizing. Percy looked at him surprised; it was maybe the first time he saw that look in the coach's face. The coach left with a last nod and Percy turned to continue, but he came face to face with Annabeth.

"Are you okay?" She asked him, placing a hand on his shoulder steading him. A few strands of blonde hair were plastered against her face and she was flush from exertion, but she looked as beautiful as always.

Percy looked over her shoulder and saw Luke smirking at him from his lane. He hugged Annabeth and gave him the finger. Luke scowled at him and continued his own laps.

"I'm fine. I just have to keep practicing if we want to win next week, right?" He asked, pulling back to look at her in the eyes.

"Yeah, I suppose you are right. But, don't go too hard on yourself, okay?" Annabeth said, looking anxiously at him. Percy wasn't used to anyone looking at him like that and it made him ridiculously happy. None of the girls he had previously dated ever seemed anxious about him. Nor did his friends. Yet Annabeth seemed to think that she was the one who should take care of him and not the other way round.

"Okay" Percy replied. "In fact I am so fine that I challenge you to beat me in freestyle" He said, smirking at her. "You don't stand a chance"

"Please don't cry when I beat you, Seaweed Brain. I won't go easy on you just because you are hurt" She winked at you and headed over at her lane. Percy smiled and put on his goggles. He was so going to win this.

_break_

Percy groaned as he felt the hot water splash against his face. All his body hurt from the two-hour training. He closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the feeling of relaxing in the shower but opened them again because he was sure he was going to fall asleep if he didn't get out. The muscles in his back hated him when he reached out to open the shower door. Percy wrapped a towel around his waist and headed for his locker. He _did _feel a little better than he did when the swim practice began, or at least his confidence did. He had managed to beat Annabeth in their little contest, although he wasn't entirely sure she hadn't let him win on purpose.

He hoped not.

The last boy in the locker room patted him on the back sympathetically murmuring a goodbye. Percy winced from the pain but waved back. He hastily dried his hair and got ready to head out of the room. Annabeth was going to give him a ride home since Percy had still not convinced his mum that he needed another motorbike. Or even a new car.

"Why in such a hurry, Jackson?" Luke Castellan said, leaning against the locker room door, effectively keeping it closed. He had a malicious look in his eyes, despite the smile on his lips. Percy tensed and stopped in front of him.

"Get out of the way" He said angrily. _Please get out of the way. _He was not sure at all he could take Luke at his condition. He hoped he looked intimidating enough to make him go away without a fight.

"I hope your girlfriend won't be too worried when you are a little late, Jackson. After all, maybe she would even be glad not to have to carry your sorry ass" Luke smirked, clearly enjoying the effect his words had on Percy.

Percy could feel his face turning bright red. He balled his fists making a superhuman effort not to lounge himself at Luke. But the words couldn't get out of his head, no matter how hard he tried. It was exactly what he was thinking all this time; the feel of hopelessness intensified inside him. Luke smiled even wider, as if he knew exactly what was going on inside his head.

"Oh, come on Jackson. We both know that Annabeth is much too much a girl for you. You are not right for her" Luke continued, walking towards him slowly. Percy noticed with disdain that he was at least an inch taller than him. He straightened up and gazed at Luke coolly, feeling his eyes burning.

"And why would you think you are right for her, Luke? You go on acting like you are better than the rest of us, but I know you. I know what you did to Ethan" Percy said, pleased to see that the co-captain had stopped smiling, gazing at him with disbelief. Percy leaned closer. "I _know _you and your other friends cut his eye out. I saw you. Me and Nico. Only you did not know that I was there too, so you lashed out at him." He gave him a hard push that send him spiraling to the ground. Luke fell with a heavy _crush. _"He was just a_ boy, _for God's sake and you ganged up on him! You make me sick" Percy grabbed Luke by the collar and pushed him hard against the door, their faces centimeters apart. He had forgotten the pain in his body long ago; all he could think about now was how he wanted to punch Luke until he couldn't stand.

"So.." Luke began, still breathing heavily. His blue eyes glittered mischievously. "So what, Jackson? Even if that is true, Annabeth would never know. Nor anyone else. Who would believe you over me?"

Before Percy could answer, Luke shifted and kicked his leg hard. Percy screamed. He fell down, black spots dancing in his vision. He swore, trying to get up. Luke stood over him, smiling once more.

"I have to go now. Annabeth would be wondering where you are and I don't want to leave her alone waiting." Luke said, kicking him again at the ribs and getting out of the locker room, laughing harshly. Percy fainted.

_Break_

"Here we are again"

Percy opened his eyes and saw Annabeth grinning above him. He tried to sit up but she pushed him backwards firmly. Percy looked around, realizing he was in his own room and sighed with relief. He did not want to be in a hospital ever again in his whole life.

"Annabeth" He croaked, his voice thick with disuse. "When…how…?"

"You got late, Seaweed Brain" She said, half-amused, half-annoyed. "So, I came to check on you and saw Luke coming out. I was about to ask him if he had seen you but before I could tell him anything he started running. When I opened the door and saw you, well…" She stopped, taking a deep breath. Percy felt a pang of guilt for making her experience this whole thing. He imagined how awful he must have looked, sprawled down in the locker room floor. He reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. Annabeth smiled at him relieved. "I shouted for help and some kids from the team who hadn't left yet helped me carry you to my car" She saw him frowning and arched her eyebrows. "At least you did not have any serious injuries. You were lucky Luke hit the leg that wasn't hurt and you just have a bad bruise on your side"

Percy gritted his teeth. "Yeah, damn lucky. I'm going to kill that jerk next time I see him"

Annabeth didn't say anything to this; she got up and began pacing the room. "So, will you please tell me what exactly happened?"

Percy sighed, knowing that he couldn't possibly keep this from her. "He…he said something that might be true" He said carefully, avoiding looking at her. Percy stared at the ceiling and continued. "He told me about us. He implied that you would be better with him because…. Well, because of me. That I was not good enough for you. Not deserving you"

He looked at her then. He wanted to see her reaction. Annabeth came over to him and grabbed his face forcefully, kissing him full on the lips. Percy moaned into her mouth, cupping her cheek with his hand. Annabeth pulled back, leaning her temple against his, breathing slowly.

"After all the times that I have been worried sick about you and haven't broken up with you, you still believe that I think you aren't good enough for me? Percy, you must be the only person in the world who understands me. Even if we don't actually _look_ like we match, it doesn't mean we don't. You were the first boy who made me feel _loved, _Percy. I don't think you have realized how much you mean to me"

Percy didn't say anything for a few moments. He savored at the feeling her words had on him. Every doubt he had for his relationship with Annabeth had vanished like a bad dream, his mind felt clear for the first time in ages. Percy held her close, hugging her tight in him.

That was all the reassurance he needed.

**A/N I hope you enjoyed this! Please REVIEW and FOLLOW! Also, don't forget to check out "A pirate's for me" I will update by the end of the week!**


	13. Nothing left to say now

**Chapter 13**

**Nothing left to say now**

**Annabeth**

Losing sucks.

She tried to come to terms with the fact that for the first time in her life Annabeth Chase was a _loser._ The rest of the team was still in the swimming pool, cheering and singing the school hymn. But, Annabeth was already in the locker rooms, showering for the past thirty minutes. Because they had still managed to win all the other schools in the swim meet, even with her absolutely bad performance in the 100m freestyle and the relay race. So, she was saved. Barely.

It was an odd feeling. Ever since she started school, she was always first in her class and in sports, although no one else expected anything less from her. Well, "no one else" refers to her parents, since she didn't have that many friends before coming to Goode High. When the initial shock had passed after Coach Hedge had decided that she would not swim anymore that day, Annabeth felt a strange emptiness inside her. It was like everything had frozen inside her and she couldn't swim. She couldn't look Percy in the eyes after that, didn't even congratulate him on making a new school record and saving the team from failure. She knew that she couldn't stand the look of pity in his eyes when he saw her.

Annabeth dressed hurriedly as the other girls entered the locker room loudly. She could feel the tears beginning to prickle her eyes and the feeling that she had let them all down swelling inside her. Some of the girls patted her in the back and talked to her, but Annabeth knew that if she opened her mouth she would cry. She walked away from them and made her way to her car, not wanting to see anyone else. It had started raining so Annabeth started running towards her red Mini Cooper, putting on her hood. She slammed the door forcefully and stared at the empty space for a moment. The car still smelled of Percy's deodorant from this morning. She let the tears fall freely from her eyes, the sound of the raindrops hitting the roof of the car strangely soothing. Annabeth was glad no one could see her. She knew it was stupid being so upset of something like this, but she couldn't help it. It was like someone had broken the belief she had for so many years, that if she worked hard enough everything would be well for her, too. Which did, until today. It made her see things from an entire new perspective. She couldn't be Miss Perfect all the time. For the first time in her life she had friends who cared for her. Losing came natural to many people, but never her.

The sound of a message came from her phone, but Annabeth didn't look at it. She drove in silence the rest of the way home, ignoring the _beep_ sound that came from her bag every five minutes or so. She hadn't realized how lonely it without Percy. It was the first time in about a month that she drove without him in a car, which was strange considering that she used to do that all the time before she came to New York.

She sighed in relief when she saw that both her parent's cars were missing from their usual place as she entered the driveway. The last thing she needed right now was a talk with her mother. Annabeth dropped her bag carelessly to the floor in the entrance hall and climbed the stairs quietly. The only thing she wanted to do was sleep.

Annabeth didn't know for how long she sat at her bed, staring at the ceiling until she heard something hitting the window. She jumped; it was hard making out if it there was something outside because of the rain still falling hard. _Please don't let it be a robber _she thought desperately as she approached the window carefully, grabbing the baseball bat beside her door. Just then, she saw a pebble hitting the window again. With her heart racing, Annabeth opened it in a quick motion, letting the rain and the wind in the room forcefully. She screamed loudly when she saw _someone _climbing through the window and landing hard on the floor of her bedroom.

"Percy!" She said, relief rushing over her when she recognized the familiar green streak in his mop of wet, black hair. She threw the baseball bat next to him. "What the heck are you doing?"

"You weren't answering my calls" He said, shaking the rain off his jacket like a dog. Annabeth rushed to close the window, but there was already a puddle of water in her carpet. Percy got up and placed his hands firmly on her waist. "Why?"

"Percy, I… I don't want to talk about it" She said, getting out of his grasp. "And you are going to break into my house whenever I don't pick up the phone?" Annabeth asked, turning his back on him. She felt suddenly pissed. She felt his stare at her back, but she ignored it, pretending to organize some books in her desk.

"You seemed upset" She heard him pacing the room. "I knew something was up, Annabeth. I couldn't let you leave like that"

"What would you say" Annabeth murmured before thinking. She froze, hoping he hadn't heard that.

"What?" Percy asked, coming behind her. She could feel his breath in her neck. He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Annabeth stilled completely. _Don't say it._ "I know you are upset about the swim meet."

Annabeth slapped his hand away from her hair. Percy backed a few steps, surprised at her reaction. Annabeth could feel all the pain, humiliation and anger that were building up these past hours surfacing finally. She knew she must have looked pretty terrifying, but right now she didn't care at all.

"Look, Percy I sucked okay? I know that. I don't want you coming here and comforting me or whatever, because don't pretend you know how this feels okay? It's…God, it's the first time in my life I have screwed it so bad and the Coach is probably going to kick me out of the team." She paused to take a deep breath, kicking the chair near the desk in frustration. "You have no _idea _how it feels. I have let everyone down"

Percy stared at her for a moment, his face ashen. His lips had formed a thin line. "I don't? You really think so? I, who needs help understanding even the simplest exercise in math and hardly manage to pass each grade? And yet here _you _are saying how much you know about failure."

"But I TRIED, Percy! I tried and failed, so yes I know what I am talking about! You don't even _care _about school, you're just…just" Annabeth stuttered, realizing that she had said too much. Despite the small tingle of guilt inside her, she felt relieved that she had said these things out loud, admitting everything. She saw Percy, who was standing a few feet in front of her, gripping the edge of the desk. His eyes had a murderous look.

"You think you are better than me, Annabeth? Because, as you say, I suck at almost everything and my family is not as rich as yours? Better than the rest of us?" Percy's voice had a nasty, sarcastic cut to it that made her blood freeze. "Maybe you should wonder why no one ever liked you in your old school, Annabeth. If you didn't hang out with me and my friends here, no one would be talking to you here either. You know, when we first started dating everyone wondered why I would date someone so standoffish and arrogant like you. And I _always _said that you were a good person, yet here you are throwing my dyslexia to my face. What the heck is wrong with you?" He didn't yell; his voice was deadly serious, like he actually _believed _what he was saying. It made her head spin, all her old insecurities bubbling up the surface. The room was filled with a tensed silence, Percy still breathing hard, like he could barely restrain himself from hitting her.

"Get out"

She said it calmly, her voice completely empty of emotion. Percy's expression changed; he hadn't anticipated that. Annabeth thought that he was going to yell at her or even stay and discuss this again. She could feel her heart breaking into a million pieces; she wanted him to stay and talk so bad. But, Percy just shook his head angrily and walked out of the door without touching her. She heard the front door shutting loudly and she collapsed on the floor. Annabeth couldn't still comprehend what exactly had happened.

It was their first _real _fight as a couple. She didn't even know if that was a break-up. And she didn't know if she wanted it to be or no. Annabeth had never seen him so…so cruel with her before, so angry. She knew that she had been pressing all his buttons to make him react, but still. If it weren't for Percy introducing her to his friends at the school, the only one who would be talking to her would be Luke, which wasn't something she should be proud of. Annabeth trembled with the effort not to cry. For the first time she had made real friends here, who seemed to genuinely like her for what she was, not like the snobbish children of the wealthy businessmen her Mum worked with.

Annabeth spotted Percy's wet jacket lying on the floor next to her bed. She crawled to it and took it in her hands, relishing in the feeling of the rough fabric. Annabeth felt something in the pocket of the jacket; searching inside it, she found a slightly wet, but altogether perfect Snickers bar. She stared at it for a moment, before realizing that Percy had probably bought this to make her feel better since he knew that it was her favorite chocolate bar.

She laughed and cried simultaneously, wanting to hit him and kiss him the same time. Annabeth wanted to call him to make sure he had got home okay, but she wasn't sure if he wanted to hear her right now. She held the jacket in her arms, wishing he was here with her. Annabeth knew she could have lain there for the rest of the night, if her phone hadn't _beep_ed again. She scrambled to her feet faster than she knew she was ever capable of and fished it out of her bag without checking the caller ID.

"Hello?" Annabeth said, hoping her voice didn't sound too hopeful.

"Annabeth? Are you all right?" Piper asked from the other end of the line. Annabeth fell back on the bed, groaning.

"Yeah… Not really" Annabeth said, glad that someone else had called on her. After her talk with Percy, she wanted to talk to one of her friends, to make sure they still were…well, her friends.

Piper must have noticed the panic in her voice, because she immediately asked about Percy. Annabeth told her everything, relieved that she had found someone who could understand her so well. She hadn't known Piper for very long, but she didn't want to lose her. Piper agreed to call Percy later to make sure he was okay, which put her heart at ease. Piper knew she must be feeling awful as she spend the rest of the afternoon entertaining her with gossip from school. Annabeth thought that this was the kindest thing someone had ever done for her. It left her with a warm fuzzy feeling she had never felt with none of her other "friends" before.

Before she went to bed that night, Annabeth checked her phone once more. Luke had sent her three messages. Percy none.

**A/N Sorry for the cliffy, guys heheheh! Hope you enjoyed this chapter so please REVIEW and FOLLOW! I will update as soon as I can! **


	14. Can't get no satisfaction

**Chapter 14**

**Can't get no satisfaction**

**Annabeth**

"You aren't listening to a single thing I'm saying, right?"

Annabeth looked up from her phone. Lunch period was almost over, but she hadn't touched a single thing. Piper looked at her expectantly from the other side of the table, but Annabeth tried to ignore the empty seat between her and Grover. And failed spectacularly. Her eyes had been darting there every five minutes, as if she expected Percy to pop up suddenly. But he didn't seem likely to do so, since he had spent all the lunch period in the table of the swimming team. Even though they hadn't spoken to each other after their fight, Percy hadn't once glanced at her direction.

"Yeah, sorry I…I got distracted" She mumbled to her best friend, trying for what she hoped was a hopeful smile. Piper didn't seem too convinced but she didn't press her for more. Everyone in their table continued their conversation casually, but they seemed tense, as if Percy's absence was constantly in their mind. Jason kept glancing at her from time to time, as if to make sure she wouldn't explode. Piper asked him if he had spoken to Percy at all, but Jason said that he hadn't answered his calls. Annabeth sighed and flicked the photos on her phone absentmindedly. Most of them included Percy making weird faces at the camera. Annabeth had been staring at them since Friday night, as if she was afraid she would forget his face.

After a weekend spent staying home and watching movies wrapped in Percy's jacket, she was more than ready to meet him at school on Monday. Even though she was still angry at him, Annabeth felt guilty for pushing him to his limits. She had been too call him, but she hoped that she would talk to him and explain. Yet Percy acted as if she didn't exist and that hurt even more. She had seen him briefly talking to Grover before class, but Percy had vanished before she had the time to approach. It was starting to drive her crazy.

"Will you eat that?" Grover asked, poking her in the ribs.

"Huh?" She saw him pointing at her tray. "Yeah, go on" Annabeth wanted to yell at him for being so insensitive and interrupting her from her daydream. Then she noticed that everyone else in the table had moved their own trays aside. Piper smiled mischievously.

"Why have you…?" Annabeth started, but then she noticed that Percy had got up from the table and was making his way towards them. She could feel her pulse raising, as she studied him more closely. He looked even better than usual, with his pair of dark jeans and a white T-shirt that showed off his muscles. Annabeth looked down, hoping he hadn't noticed her staring at him.

"Hi, Annabeth"

She's surprised at how calm he seems to be, as if the whole situation was no problem to him. Resisting the urge to slap him, she smiles thinly. "Good to see you are finally acknowledging our presence, Jackson"

"You didn't seem too upset by me not being here either" He said, in the same annoyingly calm tone.

"Oh, please. Go on ignoring me"

Percy looks at her seriously and then jumps up the table. Annabeth pulled back instantly, suddenly afraid. The conversations in the cafeteria had ceased; everyone was looking at them.

"I CAN'T" Percy shouted on top of his lungs. The guys from the swimming team started clapping their hands rhythmically. Annabeth couldn't stop staring at Percy, who was smiling down at her, mimicking holding a microphone.

_Oh my God this isn't happening._

"_I can't get no"_ He started singing, swaying his hips. "_I can't get no satisfaction, no no no no"_

"_'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try" _The backup vocals from the swimming team table started singing. Percy jerked his hips, Mick Jagger style, and a few girls started to whistle and screech as he singed the chorus.

"_When I'm drivin' in my car  
And that man comes on the radio  
And he's tellin' me more and more  
About some useless information  
Supposed to fire my imagination  
I can't get no, oh no no no"_

"I will help you!" A girl behind him shouted.

"_I can't get no_!" Percy made his way back in front of her, hopping.

"Hey hey hey,!" The backup vocals sang.

"THAT'S WHAT I SAY!" He shouted, falling on his knees in front of her. The whole cafeteria erupted from the cheering as Percy bowed. Grover held up his phone to record him as he blew kissed to the "audience".

Annabeth felt her face turning bright red as Percy's gaze finally settled in her. The school bell rung and, the cafeteria started clearing out, the students making their way to class. Piper winked at her before grubbing Jason by the arm and leaving. Soon enough, they were the only people left there.

"So?" Percy smiled in a blasé attitude. "Do you still think I am ignoring you?" He slid into the empty seat next to her.

"You…" Annabeth tried to suppress the goofy smile she held back since he has started singing. It made her dizzy how much she wanted to throw her arms around him after so long of not seeing him. "No. No, I don't think so"

Percy reached out and touched her cheek. "I'm sorry about Friday night. I acted like a jerk" The look in his eyes reminded Annabeth of a baby seal who needed help.

"I acted like a jerk, too. Percy, I was angry and I didn't mean those things. Not really. You have every right to be angry to me, I totally understand" She knew she was blubbering, but Percy cut her off, dragging his finger from her cheek to the corner of her mouth.

"I said things I didn't mean too, Annabeth. It's just that you are wonderful and smart and beautiful….and I'm afraid that you will realize what a loser I am and you will dump me." His warm green eyes gazed at her with adoration.

"First of all, you are not a loser. Percy, you changed me. I like myself better when I am with you. I don't want us to break up over such a stupid thing like this" She said, leaning in to his hand.

Percy didn't say anything; he leaned and pressed his lips to hers. Annabeth had missed the feeling of this.

"Let's not go to class today" He whispered against her mouth, his eyes glittering mischievously.

"Sounds like a plan"

**A/N A bit short, but I hope you guys enjoyed it! Sorry for last chapter's cliffhanger ****. I will update as soon as I can. Also, If you want, you can sent me prompts for one-shots!**


	15. Prom Night

**Sorry for the long update, guys! School starts now so I won't be able to update quickly, but I promise I will try once a week **** Enjoy!**

**Chapter 15**

**Prom Night**

**Percy**

If Percy had any doubts that his relationship with Annabeth had changed him, then these doubts were about to disappear right now. He was in a tuxedo _twice _in a short space of time and it was surely killing his style.

Going to the prom is nerve-wracking enough. Going to the prom with a beautiful girl is definitely the most stressful thing Percy had ever done. Yes, even more than his very realistic fear of failing the class. But things had started pretty well this evening, considering the usual amount of bad luck he suffered. His mum had lent him her car to take Annabeth to the prom, since Percy still hadn't convinced her to buy him a new one after his accident. As he drove towards his girlfriend's house, with Aerosmith on full blast on the stereo, Percy could almost forget how stuffy his suit felt or the fact that something bad would go wrong and ruin the night for them. It had been too long since he had driven a car and he rejoiced in the opportunity. Even the terrifying prospect of picking Annabeth up by her house seemed distant for a little while.

Well only for a little while.

Percy had congratulated himself when he had deftly managed to avoid Annabeth's parents at the gala, but there was no chance getting away from it now. He checked himself at the Prius' window, attempting to smooth his hair. Percy sighed; even if by some miracle his hair didn't fly all over the place the piercings would do him in for sure. As he drove the car in the private driveway that led to the Chase residence, Percy was glad to realize that he no longer felt that annoying feeling he had whenever he thought about his girlfriend's background or the nagging voice in the back of his head telling him he was not good enough. Happily surprised by this, Percy light heartedly parked the Prius outside the modern, white house and rang the doorbell. He gazed at the neatly- cut grass and half-smiled when he remembered that a couple of weeks ago he had destroyed half the bushed under Annabeth's window in his attempt to climb through it. Percy still had a smile on as the door opened abruptly.

A tall, blonde man was standing in the doorway. His hair was rumpled, like had just woken up from a long sleep, and Percy thought that he was wearing his sweater inside out. The man smiled and thrust his hand to him for a handshake. Percy squeezed it tightly, holding the bouquet of flowers he had brought in his left hand.

"You must be Percy" He said. "I'm Annabeth's dad, Frederick."

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Chase" Percy said, relieved. He had imagined a much colder reception.

"Come inside, Annabeth will be down in a minute" Mr. Chase said, leading him to the hallway. A large staircase led to the upstairs floor and a few expensive paintings hung in the walls, but otherwise the hallway was empty, except for a white coat-closet. Percy stood anxiously in the middle of the room, feeling Mr. Chase's eyes surveying him curiously. He clutched the flowers nervously, not sure where to look.

The sound of hills clacking in the staircase made Percy and Mr. Chase turn. A smile formed in his face before he could catch it. Annabeth's blonde hair was fixed up in a stunning chignon. She was wearing a dark green sleeveless dress that showed off her tanned skin. She was smiling shyly at him as she descended the stairs.

"You look amazing" He whispered, offering her the flowers. Annabeth blushed, even though she didn't want to. "Thanks" She said, kissing him lightly on the cheek. Percy felt the spot where her lips had touched on fire.

"Be back before eleven, okay Annabeth?" Mr. Chase said, kissing his daughter. "And take care" He added, winking at Percy.

He gulped and nodded; he was apparently still dazzled by his girlfriend's appearance to form words right now. As he got in the car, a goofy smile still on his face, Annabeth leaned in and kissed him on the mouth. He could taste the strawberry lip gloss in the kiss that he felt all the way to his spine. He tried to put his hand in her hair, but Annabeth pulled back, smirking.

"No way you are ruining my hair, Seaweed Brain."

He chuckled and leaned back, turning the engine on. "Later though, right?" He asked hopefully.

Annabeth winked. "Maybe"

_Break_

Sweat trickled down his back as he danced with Annabeth in the gym; he had gotten rid of his tie after their other friends had arrived. Or maybe before? Percy couldn't remember. The music was deafening and the low lights in the gym didn't help him think. He was having the time of his life. Percy could barely make out Annabeth's face in the semi-darkness, but whenever the red or blue or yellow lights flashed in her face, he could see that she too had a huge grin in her face. Percy spinned her around in a circle, making his chest clash with her waist. He could smell her perfume as he placed a kiss on the side of her neck. He felt her shivering in his arms as she turned around and kissed him, placing her hands around his neck. Percy thought that he could drop dead right this moment and be happy, but as always it didn't last long. Grover gave him a hard shove as he was dancing clumsily but enthusiastically behind him with his date.

"Sorry, man!" He shouted to be heard above the music. Percy nodded it was alright and turned back to Annabeth. A slow song had started playing. That had never really been his type, but right now it didn't matter.

_Watching every motion  
In my foolish lover's game  
On this endless ocean  
Finally lovers know no shame_

_Turning and returning  
To some secret place inside  
Watching in slow motion  
As you turn around and say_

_Take my breath away  
Take my breath away_

He whispered the last words in her ear as they slow danced amidst the other couples. Annabeth had placed her head on his chest and he could feel her heart beating in time with his own. Percy kissed the top of her head, feeling a surge of protectiveness rush through him. She looked up to him, her eyes glittering.

"I never thought in a million years someone would make me feel this way" He told her softly, meaning every word. He thought that it might sound ridiculous coming from his lips, but then he didn't care. Not one bit.

_Watching I keep waiting  
Still anticipating love  
Never hesitating  
To become the fated ones  
Turning and returning_

_To some secret place to find  
Watching in slow motion  
As you turn to me and say  
My love_

_Take my breath away_

_Through the hourglass I saw you  
In time you slipped away  
When the mirror crashed I called you  
And turned to hear you say  
If only for today  
I am unafraid_

_Take my breath away  
Take my breath away_

_Watching every motion  
In this foolish lover's game  
Haunted by the notion  
Somewhere there's a love in flames_

_Turning and returning  
To some secret place inside  
Watching in slow motion  
As you turn my way and say_

_Take my breath away  
Take my breath away_


	16. Hero

**Chapter 16**

**Hero**

**Percy**

His hair was still damp from the quick shower he had taken after practice, as Percy made his way to his apartment that Thursday evening. It was early December, but the streets were already decorated with Christmas lights. Annabeth had offered to drive him home after the swimming practice, but Percy felt like he had needed to spend some time with his mum alone. Christmas was always a tough period in their family, especially since their problems with Gabe had started. The last thing Percy wanted to do was get Annabeth involved in this.

He put his hood on as it started to rain lightly and walked faster, almost hitting a woman with a small child beside her, who struggled to pull out an umbrella. The woman shot him a disapproving look as he mumbled an apology; Percy smiled thinly. He was used to adults staring him like that ever since he got his first piercing. It had never actually troubled him, it had even pleased him as his appearance made sure that no one over the age of thirty usually bothered him. Adults never really had anything interesting to say, anyway. But for the first time in his life, Percy had _actually _wanted to make a good impression to an adult. He let his mind wander to the second time he went to Annabeth's house.

"_They hated me" He groaned._

_Annabeth laughed as she closed the door of her bedroom behind her. She was wearing a long-sleeved dress that showed off her eyes and she was absolutely adorable. But even the beauty of his girlfriend couldn't distract him from the anxiousness that had settled inside him. Percy fell into the bed, closing his eyes._

"_I told you it was a bad idea to come to your house." He said, with his eyes still closed. He felt her move around the room as she answered._

"_They didn't. It's just that…you are different than what they had expected." He felt the mattress dip as she climbed on it. He opened his eyes to find her face inches apart from his own. "But they know I really like you so they won't ruin that"_

_Percy leaned forward and kissed her, framing her face with his hands. Annabeth made a sound of surprise in his mouth and kissed him back. "You are just in love with my bad-boy attitude, that's all" He smirked as he flipped her over. Annabeth laughed and pushed him away._

"_Well, it won't make my dad like you more if he finds you kissing my neck in the bed" She said, straightening her dress. Percy pulled away from her with a smug expression in his face. _

"_I'll just say you attacked me first and I complied to your wishes, because I am a gentleman" He said, hopping off the bed to avoid his girlfriend's smack in the arm. He let his eyes wander in the rest of the room and approached the library on the opposite wall. He picked up a photo in the second shelf._

"_Now that's just adorable" He said, looking at a picture of a three year old Annabeth in the bath. She had a gap between her front teeth as she smiled at the camera._

"_Oh my God" Annabeth said as she snatched it away from him. She put it back in its place and then, slipped her arms around his waist. "Come on, let's play some Monopoly or something before you decide to dig out more of these ancient photos"_

Percy still had a smile plastered to his face as he recalled the memory. He wasn't exactly the type of guy girls wanted to bring home and meet their parents and even then, he had never gotten serious enough with any girl to meet her parents. Annabeth had been the first to introduce him to her own, and that was especially weird, considering how different they were. He pulled out his phone and checked the time; he was late, his mum would start to worry soon. Percy looked at the photo of him and Annabeth on the phone's wallpaper before he slipped it in his jeans again. They had it taken after a swimming practice, so his hair was even more a mess than usual and Annabeth's were tangled, but Percy thought it was better than all of the others they had together.

He climbed the stair leading to his apartment as the elevator wasn't working. Again. Percy was exhausted after the swimming practice and the walk home so all he wanted to do was lie in the couch and sleep. The thought made him hurry up. But as he reached his floor, Percy noticed that his apartment's door was already opened. A surge of panic made his heart stop for a bit. He could hear voices coming from the inside. Percy went inside cautiously, closing the door behind him. The voices were coming from the kitchen and they sounded obscenely loud to his ears, as if his sensed had heightened all at once. They had not noticed the door closing. The one voice was definitely his mum's; the other one was male, angry. Percy dropped his bag to the floor and grabbed the baseball bat beside the wall. He made his way to the kitchen, his heart beating a hundred times quicker than normal.

He saw his mum first, her back on the opposite side of the kitchen. Her face was scared, but he could also see the determination in her eyes; tears were running from her eyes. She opened her mouth as if to tell him to run. The man had his back turned to Percy, but he followed Sally's gaze and turned to look at him. It was his former step-father, Gabe Ugliano. He smiled nastily at him when he spotted him. He was holding a pocket knife in his hands.

"Get out of here, boy. I have business with your mum. She owes me" His breath reeked alcohol as he spat in front of Percy's legs. Percy's grip tightened around the baseball bat. Never before in his life had he felt so angry, so eager to hurt someone. He thought he would collapse if he didn't do something soon.

"No. _You _get out of here. This is our home" He growled, taking a step forward. "Leave or I will call the police" The odor of Gabe was making him want to puke, but Percy didn't flinch. His small beady eyes stared at the baseball bat, but he just continued to smile greedily.

"You don't want to mess with me, punk. I will take what is mine" And with a move surprisingly quick for such a fat man, he grabbed Sally and pressed the pocket knife in her neck. "What are you going to do about it?" He taunted him. "What are you going to do when your mummy is dead?"

Afterwards, they told him what exactly had happened. But then the only thing Percy could register was him and Gabe. He recalled the blood spilling out of his ex stepfather's mouth and nose as he hit him repeatedly with the baseball bat, his mum screaming and trying to hold him, but all Percy could see was red, red, red. He had never felt like this before in his life. It had taken two policemen to drag him away from the fallen man, who was whimpering and crying softly on the ground. Apparently, the woman who lived next door had heard the shouting and had called the police. Percy's hands and face were smeared with Gabe's blood as they were escorted to the police station. An officer had wanted to handcuff him as well, but his mother's angry protests made him back down. Percy could feel his mum holding him as they were driven to the police station and he fought the urge to cry. And something else, something that he had felt a few times in his life: fear. He imagined what Annabeth would think if she found out he was arrested because he had almost beaten a man to death. And then he broke down crying.

**A/N Sorry for the cliffhanger, but I promise I will update soon! PLEASE review!I want to know your ideas on the chapter!**


	17. Do I wanna know?

**Chapter 17**

**Do I wanna know?**

**Annabeth**

Getting a call from the police station is never a good way to start the day.

_Especially_, when your idiotic boyfriend isn't answering any of your calls and considering his previous history, it doesn't take much for Annabeth to start freaking out. She doesn't even text any of her friends to let them know neither she nor Percy will be going to school this day. Instead, she drives as fast as she can to the local police station, the situation reminding her too much of the time Percy was in the hospital a few months ago. Her heart beats wildly in her chest as she enters the police station, the Christmas lights in the hallway illuminating against her face. Annabeth looks from left to right, completely disoriented for a moment. Two policemen at the end of the corridor look at her questioningly, probably wondering what a teenage girl who is wearing what appears to be pajama bottoms under a long coat is doing at the station so early on a Thursday morning. Annabeth feels a bit more dreadful at each passing second, not knowing where she is supposed to go or what she is supposed to do. She absolutely _hates_ feeling that way. The Christmas lights only make her loneliness grow inside of her. Breathing slowly in an attempt to calm down, Annabeth pulls out her phone to call Percy one more time.

Just then, Annabeth sees Sally coming towards her, holding Percy's cell in her hand. Annabeth sighs with relief when she spots her, even though she cannot remember the older woman looking more tired. She was dark circles under her eyes and new worry lines were edged in her face. Nevertheless, she gives Annabeth a tired smile, as she approaches her.

"Thanks for coming, Annabeth" Sally says, hugging her. Annabeth could feel the slight tremble in her frame, as she hugged her back.

"What exactly happened?" She didn't mean to ask so forwardly, but right now she couldn't help it. The strange thing was that Annabeth didn't feel the same kind of dread she felt the night at the hospital. Her anger was also towards _Percy._

"Last night" Sally begun with a small voice, leading Annabeth to the waiting room outside a row of closed doors. "Percy wasn't home yet…and Gabe came at the door. At first I thought it was Percy, so I opened the door. He… he forced himself in the apartment." Her voice broke then, fresh tears welling in her eyes. Annabeth put a comforting arm around her. "Then we started arguing… I don't even remember what we fought about, it is still all so confused in my mind. Then Percy came home and he knocked Gabe out… with a baseball bat. I have never seen him like this before. He just wouldn't _stop _hitting him. I had to call the police, but it seemed like hours before they would arrive…and" Sally stopped, sobbing in her hands.

"So, where is Percy now?" Annabeth asked after a while, surprised to find her voice straining, as if she hadn't spoken in a long time. The shock from hearing Sally's story was still fresh, the words repeating over and over in her head. She remembered a night in a gala from another lifetime, when Luke had told her about a fight Percy had gotten into and had seriously injured someone. Suddenly, she felt like she wanted to throw up.

"They led him in an interrogation room after we arrived here. For questioning, a policeman said. I saw him briefly a couple of hours ago but they took him in there again." She paused. "Gabe is at the hospital. I think he is in a critical condition." Her tone was bitter and resentful, and Annabeth could totally understand it. If it wasn't for him, nothing like this would have happened.

She didn't know for how long she sat there, waiting in the empty, cold corridor. Her phone was buzzing in her backpack, but Annabeth made no move to reply to any of the calls or the texts. She couldn't deal with their friend's reactions right now, not when there was so much at stake. Annabeth could imagine their faces if she told them that their best friend was arrested. But she knew that no matter how badly her friends would react, her parents' reaction would be even worse if she told them about her boyfriend's possible arrest.

After what seemed like ages, the door next to them opened making both her and Sally stand up. A grim policeman came out followed by Percy, who looked tired but altogether pleased. Sally rushed forward to embrace him, almost shoving the policeman aside. Annabeth stood a few feet away, not wanting to intrude in the family moment. At least, that's what she _thought _she was doing. Yet Annabeth couldn't deny to herself that she wasn't so eager to see Percy right now. The anger bubbling inside her prevented her from rushing forward too. She could hear Percy murmuring softly in his mother's ear, calming her down. He raised his eyes and smiled at her, obviously happy to see her there. Annabeth strained to return his smile, feeling the muscles in her face frozen as if she had forgotten how to smile. Percy seemed to have noticed it because he frowned; he escaped his mum's embrace and walked towards her, pulling her into his arms. A part of her almost screamed with relief, she was so happy that he was safe. But, it wasn't enough to make her completely forgive him for his rush behavior. _Selfish _she thought as she hugged him back.

"Hey" He said, pulling back to look her in the eyes.

_You almost killed someone last night and you say hey?_ "You look good" Annabeth said with a threatening edge in her voice, dislodging herself from Percy's arms. Percy sensed her irritation; he run his hand through the blue streak in his hair nervously, not sure what to say to her.

"I'm not sure I _am _good, though" Percy replied, his green eyes worried. "They said they would release me because I convinced that I was defending my mother…and Gabe isn't going to die after all. He just has a few broken ribs and some bruises, that's all" He concluded, trying for an encouraging smile.

"Oh, _just._ You are right, we have absolutely nothing to worry about" Annabeth said sarcastically, determined not to look her boyfriend in the eyes. She left him stunned, as she made her way to where Sally was talking with a policeman. Sally turned to face her, a relieved smile in her face.

"He said they are going to call us in a few days…Gabe is probably going to be arrested for breaking into our house. Isn't that wonderful?" The older woman's happiness was so palpable that Annabeth couldn't help but smile at her.

"Great" She managed to say. "But, I…I have to go now. My parents would be wondering where I am" Annabeth lied.

"Oh, of course honey. You mustn't let them worry. Thank you so much for being here for Percy and me." She hugged her one last time as Annabeth turned and left, not before shooting a dirty look at Percy's direction.

Annabeth sat for a little while alone in her car, allowing herself to calm down. She could not _believe _Percy would be so rush, to almost beat someone to death in his anger. She was pissed at him for making her worry all night without answering any of her calls or messages and instead waiting for his mum to call her from a police station from all places and tell her about it. And though she didn't want to admit it to herself, she felt… let down. As if Percy had betrayed her somehow. Annabeth could understand his need to protect his mum from that awful man, but surely not _kill_ him? She started driving towards her school in silence, trying to sort out her thoughts. It was still early for her parents to be home anyways, but there was only one person Annabeth wanted to see now.

She parked the Mini Cooper at the school's parking lot, waiting. Soon enough, a stream of students rushed out of the door as the last bell rung. Annabeth tried to spot her best friend in the crowd. After a while, Piper went out hand in hand with Jason, talking and laughing with him. Neither of them seemed to have spotted her. Annabeth honked once frustrated, startling a group of freshmen in front of her car but Piper didn't notice her as Jason bent down to kiss her. Annabeth honked twice more, finally getting the lovebirds' attention. Piper turned to her direction and her eyes rounded in surprise. She run towards her, leaving Jason behind.

"Where the heck have you been all day?" She asked her as Annabeth opened the door of the passenger's seat.

"Get in, I have something important to tell you"

"But, I'm supposed to go with Jas-

"Oh, don't worry I am quite sure he is going to be pretty busy as well" Annabeth snapped, thinking that the first thing Percy was going to do when he got home was call Jason.

She saw Piper waving at Jason as they drove out of the parking lot. She suddenly envied her friend for having such a normal relationship; no hospitals, no dreadful accidents, no possible _murders._

"Annabeth you are freaking me out. Where are we going?" Piper asked, putting her seatbelt on as if she was afraid of what her friend might do next.

"You won't believe what has happened" She murmured as she started driving downtown.

Piper looked at her in horror. "Are you _pregnant?"_

"_No_" Annabeth stared at her in disbelief, not sure if her friend was joking or not. "No, no , not at all. Completely different."

As she recounted the events of this morning to her friend, Piper remained completely silent. Annabeth thanked her silently for it; she realized that it was extremely helpful for her, as if a weight had vanished from her shoulders. Piper motioned for her to park outside a movie theatre.

"You realize you are overreacting, right?" Piper asked her calmly, seeming half amused half irritated to her friend's expression.

"Oh I'm sorry, was I supposed to be calm?" Annabeth said angrily, clenching her fists. "_Percy _was the one who overreacted, Pipes. What is he going to do if we fight sometime? I'm actually _scared"_ She whispered. She hadn't realized till now that deep down she was afraid that this would be, in fact, a serious reason for a break-up.

"Annabeth… Look, I don't mean to insult you or anything but you only met Percy this year. I have known him ever since elementary school. These years had been very tough for him. He was always under a lot of pressure…trying his best to be strong for his mum and all." Piper hesitated before continuing. " I'm not saying that he shouldn't have stopped at some point, Annabeth…but God, that man really deserved it. I don't know if Percy had mentioned it to you, but Gabe was… abusive to them. I think that his reaction was justified…to a point at least." She stopped, reaching out and taking Annabeth's hand.

A moment of silence passed between the two girls. "I feel kind of bad now" Annabeth said in a small voice. "I think I screwed it completely"

Piper laughed. "You should go and find him."

"Yeah, I think I probably will." Annabeth said. "Thank you so much." She reached out and hugged her tightly.

After dropping Piper home, she decided to text Percy. Annabeth didn't think that she could handle it if she heard his cold voice on the phone. A terrible sense of shame and guilt accompanied her all the way to Percy's house. Annabeth waited outside; Percy hadn't responded to the text telling him to come down in ten minutes.

As soon as she spotted him coming out of the front door, Annabeth rushed out of the car like it had caught fire and threw herself to Percy's arms. It was cold outside, even with her wrapped in the heavy coat, but she soon felt warmer in his embrace. Percy hesitated for a bit, surprised, before putting his arms around her waist.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" She started talking before Percy could open his mouth. "I didn't…I didn't think about it the way I should… I" Her voice trailed off, as she searched Percy's face for a sign. She hadn't realized she had been crying before she felt the wet trails of tears freezing against her cheeks.

Percy wiped the tears with his thumb. He smiled sadly. "It's okay. I get it. It's just that it hurt me to see you like…like you were, I don't know…disgusted by me. I felt really bad, Annabeth" He murmured. She hated seeing him so vulnerable, and knowing that she had caused it. Annabeth grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and kissed him, relishing in the welcoming taste of his mouth. She could feel warmth spreading all over her body and knowing that she had almost lost it made it all the more thrilling, as she felt his heart beating under her fingertips.

"I don't ever want to lose you" She whispered to him, their noses almost touching.

Percy pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You won't… I promise"

They stood there for what seemed like an eternity, two teenagers kissing as snow fell peacefully around them.

**A/N I hope you enjoyed this chapter, probably the longest I have ever written! Please REVIEW and FOLLOW! I will conclude this story in 20 chapters, but if you want more, PM me or review! **


	18. Drag me Down

**Chapter 18**

**Drag me down**

**Percy**

"There's just a few more papers to sign and then you will be free, Mr. Jackson" said the thin lawyer in a small, frail voice. He looked up to where Percy was sitting uncomfortably in a leather armchair and his lips curled disapprovingly at the sight of his piercing. The lawyer pushed his glasses up his nose and continued.

"Considering that your step-father…"

"_Former _step-father" Percy interrupted quickly.

"Yes. Excuse me" The lawyer inhaled deeply, closing his eyes in annoyance. "Considering your former step-father is in jail, your father's inheritance will pass down to you and your mother. It is written in his will that he wished his fortune divided between you and your mother, since he had no other close relatives. Specifically, he mentions that one third of the fortune is to be passed down to your mother, while the other two third to you"

Percy fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat. He wondered if it was a mistake coming to the lawyer's office without his mother. "And…how much money are you talking about, exactly?"

"Two million dollars"

"_Two…two mill" _Percy croaked as he stared at the lawyer, who smiled thinly at his reaction. Percy felt like he was hit in the head with a basketball. He _knew_, he had expected a big fortune, but never had he imagined such a big number. A huge feeling of joy spread in his chest, Percy felt his whole body heat up with excitement. It was like that feeling he got whenever he came first in a swim race, first like he couldn't believe his luck and then a strange sense of justice, as if the universe was finally rewarding him for everything he had been through.

The older man coughed to get Percy's attention back again. "Of course, you will have to turn eighteen first, in order to get the money. You see your father had not imagined he would die so soon, so he hadn't made a proper will. That's why your mother couldn't get the one third of your father's fortune before you turned eighteen. Her husband's death was most…untimely"

Percy felt a lump forming at his throat as the lawyer continued to explain the other details. He had never met his dad; he didn't even know much about him, since his mum always got sad when he asked her and he didn't want to press her for details. Then again, Percy couldn't help but feeling angry at the man who had abandoned them in the hands of Smelly Gabe.

"So, I will see you again on..?"

"August 18" said Percy light-heartedly, shaking the lawyer's hand before departing.

When he arrived home, his mum was already fast asleep. Percy hadn't realized how late it had been; panic surged through him as he remembered the school's last swim tomorrow. _His _last swim team tomorrow. The happy feeling he had since leaving the lawyer's office almost distinguished at the thought, only to be replaced by a sudden knot in his stomach. He checked his phone to find that he had three text messages from Annabeth, all of which repeated _Go to sleep._ Yawning, Percy threw himself to the bed, still in his clothes, and felt asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.

_Break_

"Watch out!"

Feeling his heart beating wildly in his chest, Percy gripped the edge of his seat in terror as his mum passed by a car in top speed. He heard honking and shouts behind them, but the Prius didn't stop.

"Maybe if you hadn't woken up so late" His mum insisted as she ignored the red light. "I wouldn't have to run so much now"

Percy moaned helplessly and checked his watch. He had ten minutes to reach the school before the swim meet started. The thought of Luke taking over the team in the most crucial swim meet of the year was sickening.

"Isn't it really touching thinking that is your last ever swim meet in the school, honey?" Percy felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment as he heard his mum sniffling. "Remember your first one, when you were nine years old and you were s_o_ cute in your new swimming trunks…"

"Yeah, _okay, _Mum thanks for dropping me by" Percy said, as they parked in front of the school pool. Percy hopped out of the car on a flash and begun running as he had never run before towards the pool entrance. He could feel his cell phone vibrating on the inside of his jeans for the hundredth time, but he ignored it, pushing past a couple of girls who were late like him. Percy barely heard their complains as he stumbled in the locker rooms.

Before he could register what was happening, Percy felt a meaty hand grabbing the base of his neck.

"Where the hell have you been, Jackson?" Coach Hedge roared in his ear. "Get changed, _now!"_

Percy heard a few of the boys snickering as he changed into his Speedo, but most of them seemed relieved just to see him. Losing their captain was bound to get the Goode High swimmers in a good mood.

He was shivering as he entered the pool, the hairs on the base of his neck standing up. Percy smiled a little, despite his anxiety, when he saw the banners his friends held in the stands. He surveyed the crowd, looking for a glimpse of blonde hair, but then Coach Hedge motioned him to come close so that he could talk to him. The first event was the relay race and Percy knew that they definitely _had _to win this one.

As he approached them, he saw the other three of the kids he was going to swim with. Two of them were juniors; Percy acknowledged them with a nod. He didn't notice the other one until he turned to face him. Luke seemed almost as anxious as he was and for once, he didn't have the usual smirk in his face.

"You have to work as a team if you want to win this one. A _real _team" Coach Hedge stated bluntly, "I don't want to see any competition between the four of you" Percy caught Luke's gaze but the other boy immediately averted his eyes. "Mark will go first and then…then Finn" Coach said pointing at the two juniors. "Luke, do you want to go third or last?"

Percy felt his heart sink. The last place was usually the most important one; usually the best swimmer went last in a relay race team. There was no way Luke was going to give up the opportunity to be in the last place.

"I think I will go third, Coach"

Percy couldn't believe what he had heard for a moment; he gazed at Luke in wonder as if he had said he had just expressed his wish to go to the moon. Before he had any time to say anything, they were ushered to take their places. As Luke walked away to take his place at the other end of the pool, Percy shouted at him.

"Good luck!"

Luke turned and smiled, giving him a thumbs-up. Percy felt the feeling of anxiety melt inside him. He knew they were going to win.


	19. Endgame

**Chapter 19**

**Glory Days**

**Percy**

A strange feeling had formed inside Percy as he pressed himself to smile at the camera in front of him. He was starting to sweat under the heavy gown, but he knew he had to wait at least two hours to take it off. Grover was bouncing up and down excitedly next to him, making him even more nervous. High school graduation. Percy almost couldn't believe he had made it this year. Something like happiness formed inside him at the thought, before the anxiousness took over him once more.

"Smile!"

Annabeth looked at him from behind the camera, her grey eyes shimmering happily. Percy managed to return the smile. Even with all those thoughts running in his mind, he couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked. Her hair was elegantly made in a bun, just like the one she wore at prom. Percy resisted the urge to run his hand over his own hair, but decided against it since for the first time in a long while his hair didn't fly all over the place.

He saw out of the corner of his eye his mum talking to Mr. Blofis, his English teacher. She looked happier than he had seen her in a long while, her face literally alight with excitement. He noticed that she was maybe sitting a little too close to his former teacher, but Percy thought that she deserved someone in her life, now that he would be away. He felt a twinge of guilt inside him, which deepened as he saw his girlfriend approaching him. Percy mechanically slipped his hand around her waist, relishing in her familiar presence. He dipped down his head to kiss her, pulling her even closer to him.

"Hey, you'll ruin my make-up" She complained jokingly, hitting him lightly in the arm.

"You don't need it anyways. You look perfect" Percy said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Are you ready for your speech?"

"I'm kind of scared, actually. My parents are here" She waved at a direction behind her with her hand. Mr. and Mrs. Chase were standing apart from the rest of the crown, talking quietly to one another. Percy noticed again how much Annabeth looked like her mother.

"You'll do great" He said, pressing a kiss on her check. Annabeth smiled at him with a look of absolute relief. Just then, they heard the school headmaster calling the students and the parents to their seats, so that the ceremony could begin. Annabeth jumped at the sound of his voice; Percy winked at her as she hurried along to take her place. She was the school valedictorian so the ceremony would start with her speech.

Percy made his way to his seat, sitting between Grover and Piper. He couldn't help but smile at them as he saw Piper's tear-stained cheeks and his best friend's happy face. He spotted Jason a few seats next to him; he was talking excitedly with Leo.

"Feels strange, doesn't it?" Grover asked him, fixing his cap absent-mindedly. "I am very happy we are all graduating, but I kind of don't want this to end either"

Percy remained silent for a few moments. "Yeah, I don't want it to end too"

Grover turned to him, eyeing him curiously. "Percy, are you all right?"

Before Percy could respond to him, Piper elbowed him in the gut. She gestured in front of them, where the headmaster was ready to start the graduation ceremony. Percy hardly noticed what he was saying; he was waiting for Annabeth's turn to come. She wouldn't tell him what she had written for the speech, no matter how many times he had begged her. She noticed him looking at her and smiled broadly; her smile was so perfect that for a moment it made him forget everything else. He held his breath and leaned forward in his seat, when she approached the microphone.

"My fellow students, we only arrived here four short years ago, and now it's already time to leave. How did it all go so fast? It seems like only yesterday that we were skinny little freshmen fighting with the locks on our lockers, trying to figure out where our next class was, and looking generally clueless to all the upper classmen. Now we are the upperclassmen, the seniors who stand here ready to graduate and move forward in the world. Yet at this seminal moment, we can't help looking back.

It's easy to feel hopeful on a beautiful day like today, but there will be dark days ahead of us too.

There will be days where you feel all alone and that's when hope is needed most.

No matter how buried it gets or how lost you feel, you must promise me that you will hold on to hope.

Keep it alive! We have to be greater than what we suffer..

My wish for you is to become hope.. People need that..

And even if we fail... what better way is there to live?

I know that we all think we're immortal, we're supposed to feel that way, we're graduating. The future is and should be bright, but, like our brief four years in high school, what makes life valuable is that it doesn't last forever, what makes it precious is that it ends. I know that now more than ever. And I say it today of all days to remind us that time is luck. So don't waste it living someone else's life, make yours count for something. Fight for what matters to you, no matter what. Because even if you fall short, what better way is there to live?

As we look around here today at all the people who helped make us who we are,

I know it feels like we're saying goodbye but we will carry a piece of each other into everything we do next...

To remind us of who we are.. and if we were meant to be.

I've had a great 4 years with you… I will miss you all very much."

Percy was surprised to find that his eyes had watered with tears at the end of the speech. He whistled and clapped louder than all the others as Annabeth, flushed and pleased, gave her place to the school headmaster, who started reading the names of the class to hand down the diplomas. He looked around dazed as Grover shove him forward to take his place at the row; Percy still hadn't recovered from the effect of the speech on him. He felt like Annabeth had summed up his feelings perfectly.

When he heard his name being called, Percy approached the stage at the sound of applause from the audience. He felt like he was floating in a dream as he shook hands with the headmaster and took his diploma and then proceeded to shake hands with Annabeth, whom being valedictorian and president of the student council represented the student body. As he felt her gaze, full of affection and pride, Percy didn't know what hit him. He pulled her close to him and kissed her, right there in front of everyone. He heard her muffled gasp of surprise, which was drowned in the cheering and gasping from the crowd. Percy couldn't have cared less; when he let her go, Annabeth looked like she had been hit by lightning, looking at him like he was the best thing she had ever seen.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. He would always remember the look of pride in his mother's face and the strange nostalgic atmosphere of that June afternoon. Everyone was crying and laughing simultaneously. Only now did it make sense how final all of this was.

He was walking Annabeth home after the graduation party at Grover's. She was wearing a light, green dress that showed off her tanned arms perfectly. Percy wanted to freeze this moment, he wanted nothing more than to walk in the streets with his girlfriend forever. But he knew that it wasn't possible.

"You know I can't wait to go to California. I know I will miss Piper, but at least we will be together" Annabeth said dreamily, smiling at him.

Percy didn't smile back. "Annabeth, I-.."

"Oh, stop worrying, Perce. I know Berkeley is a very demanding university, but you will just work hard and manage. I will help you right? Besides, you will probably be their best swimmer"

"But, that's just it" Percy sighed, halting her to a stop. He couldn't prolong this anymore. "Annabeth, I didn't get in. The letter arrived this morning. They didn't accept me"

Annabeth received his words with shock plainly written on her face. She started trembling, even though it was a hot summer night. A loose strand of golden hair fell in her face, but she didn't brush it back.

"But…but" For the first time in his life, she was speechless. She clutched his arm desperately. "But you can still come and live with me." She said hopefully. "You can reapply for the next semester, please Percy, I will help you"

Her voice sounded so close at the edge of tears, that it broke Percy's heart listening to it. "You know they will never accept me, Annabeth. My grades were so bad the previous years that swimming couldn't improve it." He gazed at her, adoration filling his heart. "I can't keep you behind, baby. I can't do this to you"

"I don't care" Annabeth shouted, holding him so hard that it hurt. "Percy, I swear I can wait, I can wait for you. I will do whatever it takes, _please"_

Hearing her pleading made his heart break into a million pieces once again. "I won't let you" He stated simply, the weight of his own words hitting him.

"But don't you love me?" She whispered.

Percy stilled for a second. He had never risked saying it aloud to her before; Percy had never said that to anyone. But with Annabeth he had come so close, so close to saying it that he knew he couldn't avoid his feelings anymore.

"_That's_ how much I love you. I can't let you throw away your life for me. I will hate myself if I did that" He murmured against her hair, feeling her heart beat in time with his own. Percy pressed a kiss in her hair, letting her adjust to the meaning of his words.

Percy pulled her back. He looked into the astonishing grey color of her eyes, eyes he had learned to love. "You and I are endgame. And if we are meant to be together, we will be together. It doesn't matter where we go from now on; I love you."

Annabeth leaned in and kissed him. He could taste the saltiness of her tears in her lips. Percy wished that their kiss would never end. "This isn't goodbye" She murmured against his lips.

"This isn't goodbye" He echoed, holding her hand tightly, clutching to his lifeline.

They stood like that for an eternity. When Annabeth turned back and left, Percy watched her until she disappeared in the corner. He knew that this would be a moment that he would remember for the rest of his life.

**A/N I hope you liked this chapter. Annabeth's graduation speech is from Spiderman 2( because I love it) This was the last chapter of this fanfic. Thank you all for supporting me in this journey. I will probably update an epilogue sometime in the future. Please review and follow me as an author for more pjo stories.**


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